We studied 19,205 SEO jobs in the top 100 most populated US cities.
Here’s what we found out:
Key Takeaways
- SEO jobs pay 7.5% higher than the US Average.
- 94% of SEO jobs require a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Only 9.7% of SEO jobs are remote.
- New York is the best city for SEO jobs, with 475 opportunities and an average annual salary of $76,235.
- On average, Fremont, CA, had the highest annual salary for SEO positions at $101,239.
- Bakersfield, CA, is the lowest-paying city for SEO positions, with an average annual salary of only $36,250.
Overview of the SEO Job Market in 2024
SEO Jobs Pay 7.5% Higher than the US Average
94% of SEO Jobs Require a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
Most SEO Jobs Require Mid-level Experience
68.4% of SEO Jobs are Full-Time
Only 9.7% of SEO Jobs are Remote
Criteria for Selecting the Best/Worst SEO Jobs in the USA
We determined the “best” and “worst” cities for SEO jobs in the United States by looking at the following:
- Annual Salary
- Total Number of Jobs
- Job Type (Full & Part-Time)
- Job Requirements (A Mixture of Experience Levels)
- Job Title (A Mixture of Job Titles, e.g., SEO Consultant and Director of SEO)
By looking at these factors, we determined that the following are the best/worst cities for SEO in the USA.
Top 10 Best Cities for SEO Jobs in the USA
During our research, we found that the following are the top 10 best cities for SEOs in the USA:
- New York, NY – $76,235
- Long Beach, CA – $70,626
- Irving, TX – $63,929
- Los Angeles, CA – $71,917
- Dallas, TX – $64,670
- Plano, TX – $64,573
- Garland, TX – $64,737
- Arlington, TX – $64,957
- Chicago, IL – $72,593
- Fremont, CA – $101,239
We rated these the best because they offer various part-time and full-time jobs, flexible hours, and superb salaries.
1. New York, NY
New York, NY had 475 jobs in total. These jobs were 318 full-time and 157 part-time positions.
The average salary was $76,235, and interestingly, there were a comfortable number of entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level roles. However, most SEO jobs here require a bachelor’s degree or higher.
2. Long Beach, CA
Just south of San Francisco, Long Beach, CA, had 298 job listings online. However, the average salary for these roles was $70,626.
Our research also found that 55 of the 298 jobs paid $120,000 annually.
3. Irving, TX
Next, we have Irving, TX. Who, surprisingly, had more SEO jobs than other cities in Texas, including Austin, TX.
They had 256 jobs, with an average salary of $63,929. Most of these jobs were on-site, so there weren’t many work-from-home arrangements.
4. Los Angeles, CA
Though Long Beach had more jobs, Los Angeles, CA, still presented great opportunities. There were nearly 250 jobs, with an average salary of $71,917.
Some job listings even offered an annual salary of $175k, showing a growing demand for senior SEO specialists.
5. Dallas, TX
Dallas and Irving were very close. Both had better opportunities than other cities in the state, such as Houston, TX.
The average salary for Dallas was $64,670. However, there were more jobs in the $70k range than in Irving, indicating more mid-level SEO careers.
6. Plano, TX
With Plano, TX, the average salary was $64,573. None of these jobs went above the $100k mark.
Many job posts also focused on skills like SEO, Social Media Management, and Keyword Research, suggesting a focus on SEO content and Content Marketing specialists.
7. Garland, TX
Regarding Garland, TX, they had 235 job postings, which offered an average salary of $64,737.
With these job descriptions, the ideal candidate had mid to senior-level expertise and either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. The job search also revealed the need for SEO experts with experience in email marketing.
8. Arlington, TX
With the job alerts from Arlington, TX, the average salary was $64,957. Our research found a mix of on-site, hybrid, and remote jobs.
They had more remote jobs than Garland despite only having 229 job postings. They also had various jobs, from SEO web content specialists to junior SEO specialists.
9. Chicago, IL
Moving away from Texas is Chicago, IL, which had 199 job postings with an average salary of $72,593. There were also 33 jobs from top companies with an annual salary of $125k.
This shows a demand for digital marketing specialists who know different marketing channels, not just SEO knowledge.
10. Fremont, CA
Last on the list of the best SEO jobs we found on job boards is Fremont, CA. Fremont, CA, has the most jobs (181) in California—even more than cities like San Diego.
Many of these jobs were over $100k, suggesting the need for SEO strategies that include other channels, like social media marketing.
Top 10 Worst Cities for SEO Jobs in the USA
Our research revealed that the following cities in the United States are the worst places for SEO jobs.
- Corpus Christi, TX – $85,000
- Lubbock, TX – $53,125
- Laredo, TX – $50,000
- Stockton, CA – $65,000
- Anchorage, AK- $52,667
- El Paso, TX – $68,750
- Port St. Lucie, FL – $45,000
- Bakersfield, CA – $36,250
- Huntsville, AL – $56,522
- Spokane, WA – $58,478
We rated these the worst because there are hardly any opportunities for SEOs.
1. Corpus Christi, TX
There were only three job opportunities in Corpus Christi, TX, one of which was a remote SEO job. The average salary for these three opportunities was $85,000.
However, there were only entry- to mid-level roles. So, the SEO experience required for this city is much lower than, let’s say, Denver, CO.
2. Lubbock, TX
Lubbock was labeled the second-worst city for SEO, as it had only five opportunities, two fewer than Corpus Christi, TX.
These five jobs had an average salary of $53,125 and required mid-level experience or lower. Though this is great for SEO associates, there aren’t enough SEO marketing jobs for SEOs in this area.
3. Laredo, TX
Laredo, TX, ties in with Lubbock, as they only have five job listings. The average salary for these jobs was $50,000, with no SEO jobs exceeding $60k.
Again, it’s a great place for SEO looking for work experience, but it’s a shame there are minimal options.
4. Stockton, CA
Stockton has the fewest search engine optimization specialist jobs in California: only 6, with an average salary of $65,000.
Unlike others mentioned as the worst, there were different position types. These include positions like SEO senior manager to mid-level local SEO and link-building pros.
5. Anchorage, AK
There were six jobs in Anchorage, AK, averaging a salary of $52,667. We found five entry-level jobs requiring a high school diploma or an associate’s degree.
This shows demand for basic-level search engine marketing, which is perfect for those looking for this type of work location.
6. El Paso, TX
El Paso, TX, had a few more job listings (compared to the other Texas cities above) at seven – “very impressive”—with an average salary of $68,750.
Interestingly, most required entry-level to mid-level SEO experience, such as knowledge of how Google Analytics, on-page SEO, and Google Search Console work. However, they still required a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
7. Port St. Lucie, FL
Port St. Lucie is the worst place in Florida for search jobs. There were only seven, with an average salary of $45,000.
Most of these jobs pay between $35k and $45k, indicating a need for SEO content creation or low-end web development for technical SEO.
8. Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield, CA, is just above Stockton in terms of job postings. They had 8 with an average salary of $36,250.
However, Stockton has high-end jobs like search engine optimization managers, whereas Bakersfield has more low-end SEO jobs, like SEO content writing.
9. Huntsville, AL
There were nine total jobs in Huntsville, with an average salary of $56,522. Though there were not many opportunities, some SEO jobs offered salaries of $90k.
This showcases the need for digital marketing managers with SEO experience in omnichannel marketing campaigns.
10. Spokane, WA
Last on the list is Spokane, WA, which has only nine jobs. Much lower than what we found in Seattle, WA, which was 121.
Though a lot less, the average salary here was $58,478. The jobs also included entry-level-, mid-, and senior-level roles. However, there’s not enough for everyone to improve their SEO experience.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are some very good and not-so-good cities in the USA for SEO jobs. If you live in an area considered “bad” for SEOs, look for remote work in places with “good” SEO roles. There are plenty to pick from, so you should be able to find something.
