UK marketers are among the worst paid in Europe once the cost of living is taken into account, new research from GEO Agency Reboot Online has found.
The analysis looked at more than 120,000 marketing job listings across 18 European countries and revealed that, while the average UK marketing salary is £42,135, high living costs cut real take-home pay to just £19,853. That places the UK fifth from the bottom in Europe for marketers’ real earnings.
Poland leads the continent. Marketers there earn an average of £46,363, and after accounting for lower living expenses, they still keep around £31,871. That’s a real-terms gap of £18,041 – or 46% – between the best and worst countries for marketers’ pay.
Ireland comes out worst
Ireland ranks as the lowest-paying country in real terms. The average Irish marketing salary of £40,809 (€46,785) falls to just £13,830 (€15,852) once housing, food, and utilities are factored in. Both the UK and Ireland suffer from high living costs that erode otherwise decent headline salaries.
Small agencies pay more than big firms
Reboot’s research also found that smaller agencies tend to pay more generously than large corporations. Companies with between two and ten employees offer an average salary of £47,033, while those with 5,000 to 10,000 staff pay just £40,167. This suggests smaller, independent firms are often more competitive when it comes to rewarding individual talent.
The highest-paying marketing jobs in the UK
Performance-based and digital marketing roles dominate the top of the UK pay scale.
- PPC Specialist – £52,993
- Content Executive – £46,990
- Content Writer – £46,680
- Marketing Coordinator – £46,680
- Marketing Director – £45,744
- PPC Manager – £44,336
- SEO Specialist – £44,142
- Social Media Manager – £43,965
- Communications Executive – £43,965
- Marketing Manager – £43,383
The lowest-paying roles
At the other end of the scale, entry-level and creative positions are the least lucrative.
- Marketing Assistant – £33,542
- Creative Director – £36,289
- Head of SEO – £36,311
- Content Strategist – £37,155
- PR Executive – £37,372
- Copywriter – £37,495
- Marketing Strategist – £37,962
- Graphic Designer – £38,181
- PR Manager – £38,305
- SEO Manager – £38,678
The best-paying countries in Europe
Poland, Romania, and Hungary lead Europe when living costs are included.
| Rank | Country | Average Salary | Take-home after living costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poland | £46,363 | £31,871 |
| 2 | Romania | £42,013 | £31,023 |
| 3 | Hungary | — | £28,376 |
| 4 | Sweden | — | £28,201 |
| 5 | Finland | — | £25,868 |
The UK ranks 14th overall, while Ireland sits at the bottom.
Pay transparency and remote work
Only 15.57% of UK marketing job ads include salary details, the lowest level of transparency in Europe. Denmark ranks highest, with 27.85% of roles disclosing pay.
When it comes to remote work, Poland (45.6%), Germany (36.9%), and Romania (34.8%) lead the way. The UK sits in ninth place with 21.7%, while Ireland is fifth from the bottom at 17.5%.
“Pay gaps are widening across Europe”
Zoe Blogg, Managing Director of Reboot Online, said the research shows how much geography affects marketing pay.
“As marketing continues to evolve with AI and automation, pay gaps are emerging not just by job role but by location,” she said. “Smaller agencies and growing European markets are often ahead when it comes to rewarding talent.”