Editor’s be aware
Listed below are the highest takeaways:
- The median annual wage for SEOs we polled was $49,211
- The best annual wage we polled was $229,652
- To earn the upper salaries in search engine optimisation you want be a technical search engine optimisation professional—Heads of search engine optimisation, search engine optimisation Administrators and search engine optimisation Leads all stated that their major specialization was technical search engine optimisation
- Solely 5.4% of respondents discovered search engine optimisation via a course—most discovered on the job (52.3%) or by themselves (42.3%)
- 36.9% described themselves as content material specialists, 30.6% described themselves as technical specialists, 6.3% described themselves as specializing in link-building
- 49.5% of respondents labored in search engine optimisation companies, 42.3% in-house and eight.2% have been self-employed
- Most respondents (28.8%) labored in corporations that had 11-50 folks
- The common search engine optimisation expertise of our respondents was 6.9 years
- Self-employed SEOs earned probably the most on common ($60,232k)—the median annual wage for in-house roles was barely decrease at $56,789, and company SEOs had the bottom median annual wage at $44,169
There have been additionally just a few surprises:
- Few SEOs in our survey stated that they specialised in hyperlink constructing in comparison with technical and content material. That is even though hyperlinks are nonetheless probably the most necessary Google rating elements.
- The common stage of expertise between search engine optimisation Administrators and Head of search engine optimisation shouldn’t be that completely different—10.4 years for a search engine optimisation Director and 10.6 years for a Head of search engine optimisation—however the wage distinction between the roles was ~$11,552—fairly substantial.
Overview
Function | Median annual wage ($USD) | Common expertise (years) | Most important specialization | Most important work location |
---|---|---|---|---|
Head of search engine optimisation | $92,988 | 10.6 | Technical search engine optimisation | Company and in-house |
search engine optimisation Director | $81,436 | 10.4 | Technical search engine optimisation | Company and in-house |
search engine optimisation Lead | $38,289 | 7.4 | Technical search engine optimisation | Company |
search engine optimisation Specialist | $49,229 | 5.8 | Content material | In-house |
search engine optimisation Account Supervisor | $43,850 | 4.2 | Content material | Company |
search engine optimisation Guide | $49,240 | 6 | All-rounder | Company |
search engine optimisation Govt | $31,956 | 3 | All-rounder | Company |
search engine optimisation Analyst | $56,393 | 5 | All-rounder | In-house |
Right here’s how annual salaries broke down throughout our respondents:
In keeping with the SEOs we polled, most of them discovered search engine optimisation on the job or have been self-taught.
Most of our respondents had a few years of expertise beneath their belts. The quantity of expertise Head of SEOs had versus search engine optimisation Administrators was not that completely different, at round 10 years.
- Throughout all respondents, the typical expertise was 6.9 years
- For Head of search engine optimisation, the typical expertise was 10.6 years
- For search engine optimisation Director, the typical expertise was 10.4 years
- For search engine optimisation Lead, the typical expertise was 7.4 years
- For search engine optimisation Account Supervisor, the typical expertise was 4.2 years
- For search engine optimisation Guide, the typical expertise was 6 years
- For search engine optimisation Govt, the typical expertise was 3 years
- For search engine optimisation Analyst, the typical expertise was 5 years
Technical and Content material have been the 2 prime expertise that SEOs we surveyed specialised in.
The proportion of SEOs that stated they specialised in hyperlinks was a lot decrease regardless of hyperlinks being a significant rating issue.
Our survey confirmed an virtually 50/50 cut up between the UK and Europe. 48.6% of respondents have been from the UK—maybe not shocking on condition that BrightonSEO is predicated within the UK.
Many of the respondents we spoke to labored in companies or in-house. It does imply, nonetheless, that our wage information was primarily centered on these two employment sorts.
Throughout all respondents, the commonest firm measurement was 11-50. A big proportion of SEOs additionally labored for considerably bigger corporations that had over 1000 staff.
Right here’s the total breakdown of every position.
Head of search engine optimisation wage
It’s in all probability not an excessive amount of of a shock that the Head of search engine optimisation position was our highest-paying search engine optimisation position surveyed. What’s extra of a shock was the variation in wage—our survey confirmed {that a} Head of search engine optimisation can earn something from ~$25k to ~$229k.
Common expertise
In keeping with our survey, a Head of search engine optimisation has ~10.6 years of expertise.
Sort of firm
46.7% of respondents labored for an company, and 46.7% labored in-house. 6.7% have been self-employed.
Schooling
66.7% of respondents stated they have been self-taught, 26.7% stated they’d discovered on the job, and 6.7% stated that that they had discovered search engine optimisation from a course.
Specialization
40% stated that they specialised in technical search engine optimisation, 33.3% in Content material, and 13.3% stated they have been a generalist. The remaining 13.4% stated they centered on folks administration.
That is shocking, because it implies that 73.3% of individuals in Head of search engine optimisation roles are actively offering search engine optimisation companies for his or her purchasers reasonably than specializing in managing a workforce.
Firm measurement
There have been two firm sizes that have been hottest for Head of SEOs to work in. 40% of respondents stated they labored in corporations with 11-50 folks, and 20% stated they labored in corporations with over 1001 folks.
Location
40% of respondents have been from the UK, 13.3% have been from the Netherlands, and the rest have been from mainland Europe.
search engine optimisation Director wage
The wage variation wasn’t fairly as excessive for search engine optimisation Administrators, however salaries ranged from ~$42k to ~$121k—nonetheless fairly a distinction.
Common expertise
search engine optimisation Administrators in our survey had 10.4 years of expertise on common.
Sort of firm
There was a 50/50 cut up between search engine optimisation Administrators’ backgrounds, with 50% from company and 50% from in-house
Schooling
62.5% of search engine optimisation Administrators described themselves as self-taught, and 37.5% stated that they discovered search engine optimisation on the job.
Specialization
75% of them specialised in technical search engine optimisation, while 25% described themselves as generalists or Different.
Firm measurement
In keeping with our survey, search engine optimisation Administrators sometimes work in medium to giant corporations. 25% stated that they labored in corporations that had over 1000 folks, and 25% stated they labored in corporations that had 51-100 staff.
Location
Most search engine optimisation Administrators we surveyed have been from the UK (62.5%). The remainder have been equal splits between India, the U.S., and Germany (12.5%).
search engine optimisation Lead wage
search engine optimisation Leads sometimes have plenty of expertise, however our survey reveals that they solely earn barely extra on common than search engine optimisation Specialists.
Common expertise
search engine optimisation Leads in our survey had 7.4 years of expertise on common.
Sort of firm
50% of search engine optimisation Leads got here from an company background, 41.7% got here from in-house, and eight.3% have been self-employed.
Schooling
69.2% discovered on the job, 23.1% have been self-taught, and seven.7% discovered search engine optimisation via a course.
Specialization
30.8% of search engine optimisation Leads specialised in technical search engine optimisation, 23% specialised in content material, and 23.1% specialised in hyperlinks. 15.4% described themselves as generalists. The remaining 7.7% described themselves as specializing in search engine optimisation technique.
Firm measurement
46.2% labored in corporations that had 1001+ folks, and the remaining 53.8% labored in smaller corporations.
Location
23.1% of search engine optimisation Leads got here from the UK, with the rest coming from the Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden (15.4% every) and 30.7% from different European international locations.
search engine optimisation Specialist wage
search engine optimisation Specialists we surveyed had round 5-6 years of expertise, however they sometimes acquired paid higher than search engine optimisation Leads. Based mostly on my expertise, this can be because of in-house roles paying higher than company roles within the UK.
Common expertise
search engine optimisation Specialists in our survey had a median of 5.8 years of expertise.
Sort of firm
41.2% of search engine optimisation Specialists got here from an company background, whereas 58.8% stated that they have been from an in-house background.
Schooling
58.8% of search engine optimisation Specialists stated that that they had discovered search engine optimisation on the job, 35.3% stated that they have been self-taught, and 5.9% stated that that they had discovered search engine optimisation via a course.
Specialization
52.9% of search engine optimisation Specialists specialised in content material, 29.4% centered on technical, 11.8% described themselves as all-rounders, and 5.9% described specialised in hyperlinks.
Firm measurement
41.2% of search engine optimisation Specialists stated that they labored in corporations that had 11-50 folks. Solely 17.6% of respondents stated that they labored in corporations that had 1001+ folks. 23.6% stated they labored in corporations between 51-500 folks. The remaining 17.6% labored in smaller corporations with lower than 10 folks.
Location
23.5% of search engine optimisation Specialists stated that they have been from the UK, with the rest from Europe.
search engine optimisation Account Supervisor wage
search engine optimisation Account Managers in our survey have been probably the most constant wage bands incomes between ~$40k and ~$55k.
Common expertise
search engine optimisation Account managers in our survey had 4.2 years of expertise on common.
Sort of firm
85.7% of respondents labored for an company, and 14.3% labored in-house.
Schooling
71.4% of respondents stated they discovered search engine optimisation on the job, and 28.6% stated they have been self-taught.
Specialization
42.9% stated that they specialised in content material, 28.6% described themselves as an all-rounder, 14.3% stated they have been technical search engine optimisation, and the remaining 14.2% stated they specialised in hyperlinks.
Firm measurement
42.9% of respondents stated they labored in corporations with 11-50 folks, and 28.6% stated they labored in corporations with over 1001 folks. The remaining 28.6% was cut up equally between individuals who labored in corporations with between 2-11 folks or 51-100 folks.
Location
85.7% of respondents have been from the UK, and 14.3% of the rest have been from Europe.
search engine optimisation Guide wage
search engine optimisation Consultants we surveyed earned as much as ~$87k, which was decrease than I used to be anticipating—as a result of our search engine optimisation pricing put up prompt that search engine optimisation consultants cost between $100-150 per hour.
However as the info is UK-focused, the doubtless motive for that is the £85k VAT tax threshold.
Common expertise
search engine optimisation Consultants in our survey had 6 years of expertise on common.
Sort of firm
63.3% of respondents labored for an company, and 36.7% labored in-house.
Schooling
45.5% of respondents stated they have been self-taught, 36.4% stated they’d discovered on the job, and 9.1% stated that that they had discovered search engine optimisation from a course. The remaining 9% stated they’d discovered from different methods.
Specialization
27.3% stated that they specialised in technical search engine optimisation, 27.3% in content material, and 27.3% stated they have been a generalist. The remaining 18.1% stated they centered on administration and technique.
Firm measurement
search engine optimisation Consultants sometimes labored on their very own or in smaller companies in keeping with our survey — 36.4% of respondents stated they labored on their very own, and 27.3% stated they labored in corporations with 51-100 folks. The remaining 36.3% stated they labored in corporations with between 2-50 folks.
Location
36.4% of respondents have been from the UK, 27.3% have been from the Netherlands, and the remaining 36.3% have been from Europe.
search engine optimisation Govt wage
Common expertise
search engine optimisation Executives in our survey had 3 years of expertise on common.
Sort of firm
80% of respondents labored for an company, and 20% labored in-house.
Schooling
80% of respondents stated they have been self-taught, and 20% stated they’d discovered search engine optimisation from a course.
Specialization
40% stated that they specialised in technical search engine optimisation, 20% in Content material, and 40% stated they have been a generalist.
Firm measurement
80% of respondents stated they labored in corporations with 11-50 folks, and 20% stated they labored in corporations with 1001 or extra folks.
Location
80% of respondents have been from the UK, and 20% have been from Belgium.
search engine optimisation Analyst wage
search engine optimisation Analysts sometimes had just a few extra years of expertise than search engine optimisation Executives, however it seems to be like they earned roughly the identical as them.
Common expertise
search engine optimisation Analysts in our survey had 5 years of expertise on common.
Sort of firm
33.3% of respondents labored for an company, and 66.7% labored In-house.
Schooling
33.3% of respondents stated they have been self-taught, and 66.7% stated they’d discovered on the job.
Specialization
33.3% stated that they specialised in technical search engine optimisation, 33.3% in Content material, and 33.3% stated they specialised in Information search engine optimisation.
Firm measurement
33.3% of respondents stated they labored in corporations with 101-200 folks, and 66.7% stated they labored in corporations with over 201 folks.
Location
search engine optimisation Analysts got here from a variety of areas 33% of respondents have been from Portugal, 33.3% have been from Brazil, and the rest have been from Serbia.
Sidenote.
We didn’t get many respondents for the search engine optimisation Analyst position—so take these outcomes with a pinch of salt.
Last ideas
search engine optimisation salaries aren’t usually mentioned intimately throughout the trade, so getting a snapshot of their present state from one of many greatest search engine optimisation conferences within the UK was insightful.
For our subsequent wage survey, we’ll be opening it as much as all SEOs. When you’d like to participate—you’ll be able to enter right here.
Obtained questions? Ping me on X (previously often called Twitter)