AI news ·
Senior marketers with commercial edge lead salary rankings as AI reduces demand for graphic design and copywriting
Australian marketing directors earn up to $210,000, yet half of professionals still feel underpaid. AI has shrunk entry-level vacancies to just 1 percent.
Senior marketers and specialists who can demonstrate clear commercial return are commanding the highest salaries in the latest Hays Salary Guide, while AI adoption continues to eliminate traditional content creation roles. The data reveals a widening gap between pay and employee satisfaction, even as marketing professionals remain highly mobile compared to other sectors.
The commercial premium
Entry-level marketing coordination roles now sit between $72,000 and $80,000 in Australia, while marketing directors in Sydney and Melbourne earn between $205,000 and $210,000. Kian Myers, executive business director at Hays ANZ, said pay remains concentrated in senior leadership and specialist positions that combine experience, strategy and clear business alignment. As organizations prioritize measurable outcomes, marketing directors are increasingly expected to blend digital, data and automation capabilities, making targeted upskilling through an AI Learning Path for Marketing Directors highly relevant for those seeking to justify their strategic value.
Six Degrees CEO Suzie McInerney highlighted this shift in a recent assessment of the senior jobs market. "Commercial acumen has obviously been extremely important in CMO roles, but never as much as what it is now," she said.
AI impact on entry-level roles
Job types most at risk are those that artificial intelligence can perform. Myers highlighted content creation, such as graphic design and copywriting, as key examples of this decline. "There has been a dramatic drop in hiring of these roles with companies using the cost savings created as a result to invest in AI adoption," he said.
This mirrors findings from the IAB Australia 2026 Digital Advertising and Ad Tech Industry Talent Review. Entry-level roles have almost disappeared from the available vacancy pool, falling to just 1 per cent. By contrast, 49 per cent of open roles require more than six years of experience.
The broader job market shows mixed results. While 42 per cent of organizations reported headcount growth in the past year, 37 per cent contracted and 21 per cent remained flat. This contraction is concentrated among larger established global platforms responding to AI-driven efficiency programs and global restructuring.
Pay rises without satisfaction
A majority of 69 per cent of marketing professionals received a salary increase in the past 12 months. Furthermore, 42 per cent reported increases above 6 per cent, outpacing Australia's consumer price index, which rose 4.2 per cent in the 12 months to April 2026.
Despite these raises, half of the professionals surveyed feel underpaid, and only 53 per cent are satisfied in their current roles. Myers said the gap between compensation and employee sentiment remains wide. "The challenge is that higher pay is not automatically translating into stronger sentiment," he said. "Only 40 per cent of marketing professionals say they are satisfied with their salary, which suggests that many do not feel the return matches the value and effort they are putting into their roles."
Why this matters for marketing professionals
Marketers remain one of the most mobile professional groups, with 36 per cent changing employers in the past 12 months compared to 20 per cent nationally. While this mobility shows confidence, executive-level roles face downward salary pressure due to high candidate supply and intense competition. To secure higher compensation and job security, professionals must move away from generalist or pure content creation tasks. Building specialized capabilities in data analytics, CRM and AI for Marketing will separate those who drive measurable business outcomes from those whose daily tasks are easily automated.