Is There a Gender Pay Gap in B2B Marketing? What the Research Shows

A Note on Interpreting These Findings

At 6sense, we are encouraged by these findings, which indicate that progress is being made within B2B marketing organizations to see that men and women marketers not only have equal access to all levels of the organization, but also to equitable compensation within each level. 

We would also offer a word of caution concerning these results. Readers should understand that these offer a glimpse at one point in time. It is an encouraging view of this point in time, but this single glimpse does not mean that issues concerning opportunity and pay equity have been fully addressed. Continual vigilance and effort are still required to ensure that these results are perpetuated.

We will continue to provide visibility into this, by measuring and reporting our findings around this critical issue.

A Note on the Reporting of Gender in 6sense Research

When 6sense Research collected data for this research, we provided options for respondents to identify as man, woman, and non-binary, in addition to simply declining to identify. However, we had fewer than 5 non-binary respondents in our sample. That sample size is much too small to allow us to conduct any group-level analyses and comparisons. As a result, we could not include them in any analyses reported here. As and when we do have a sufficient sample of non-binary respondents, we will certainly include those responses in our analyses.

Introduction

The gender pay gap has been a discussion for decades now, and recent research has indicated that women, on average, earn 82% of what men do across the entire workforce.

However, the world of B2B marketing might not face the same pay gap as the broader working world. Over the course of two years of research our findings have consistently shown that men and women marketers are paid equally in B2B. 

This explosive and eye-catching finding is part of our latest comprehensive research report, How Much are Marketers Marking. By following rigorous statistical analysis we uncovered illuminating insights about the state of compensation across the B2B landscape.

This post will explain how we came to our findings, the implications of that data and what other marketing pay gap studies might have missed.

Our Research

6sense Research always uses statistical methods to assess whether the trends observed among our survey respondents accurately reflect the broader population of B2B marketers.

In addition, we included the analysis of nine other factors that might influence compensation. These variables are taken into account in our pay comparisons, ensuring that any pay disparities (or lack thereof) in our findings are solely attributed to gender, free from the influence of these nine factors.

• Position Level 
• Education Level
• Tenure
• Industry
• Company Financial Backing 
• Whether a marketer works from home, in the office, or both
• Marketing Discipline 
• Company Fiscal Health

Other Studies and Their Research Processes

Our findings are quite different from what has generally been presented about gender-based pay. This prompted us to investigate other studies that have explored this issue in the marketing industry to understand why our findings may be different.

What we found is that a number of limitations exist among relevant research. While these studies undoubtedly contribute to the discourse on gender-based pay, it’s important to acknowledge certain limitations inherent in their methodologies, which impact the conclusions drawn from their findings.

2023 MarTech Study

A study conducted by MarTech in the beginning of 2023 surveyed 316 men and women across various marketing roles. Respondents of this study included traditional marketers, those who provide services to the marketing department, and MarTech trainers. The results of the study indicated a 24% earnings disparity between women and men. However, upon closer examination, the study makes no mention of controlling for factors likely to influence pay, such as:

• Years of experience 
• Job title
• Education level

There is no way to know if the reported differences in pay between men and women are due to gender discrimination or differences in other factors like those mentioned above. The study didn’t mention if statistical reliability tests were used, meaning the results can’t be generalized beyond the study sample.

2023 Search Engine Land Study

A similar pattern emerged from a study by Search Engine Land, also conducted in early 2023, which involved 267 Search Marketers. This study reported a 26% earnings gap between genders. Yet, similar limitations to MarTech’s study persisted – a lack of control for influential variables and absence of statistical testing. These factors that limit the study’s ability to conclude whether a gender pay gap truly exists among marketing professionals.

2021 and 2022 HRDive Analysis

HRDive conducted a comparative analysis of salary data collected in 2021 and 2022 from Aquent, a global staffing firm. Their sample included over 19,000 marketing, creative, and design professionals. The study initially reported a 16% pay differential favoring men in 2021, which reduced significantly to 2.7% in 2022. 

This notable reduction was attributed to an increase in reported salaries by women. It is unlikely that an industry transformed compensation practices so dramatically in one year. Instead, it is more likely that the individuals studied across the two years were very different. Perhaps year two included substantially more senior – higher paid – women than year one. And, as with other studies, the absence of statistical testing in both years raises doubts about whether their conclusions can be generalized beyond the marketers they sampled.

2023 Marketing Week Survey

Studies overseas also suggest a gender pay gap for marketers but the same methodological shortcomings apply. Marketing Week’s Career and Salary survey conducted earlier this year suggests that the pay disparity between men and women marketers is widening. The study surveyed over 3,000 men and women marketers in the United Kingdom and concluded that women marketers working full time are paid 16.5% less than men, a nearly 4% higher gap than it appeared to be in 2022. 

However, the study explicitly states that its calculations of the gender pay gap is based on all marketing jobs across the UK, rather than comparing the pay between men and women for doing the same job. It is unclear whether the differences they report are due to gender discrimination or other factors, like the type of job worked.

These and similar studies exploring the gender pay gap in marketing exhibit a number of limitations that prohibit drawing conclusions about whether men and women are paid differently.

Common Limitations of Other Studies and Their Research Processes

Absence of statistical tests

Statistical testing is essential for determining whether observed trends are representative of the larger population or merely a result of random chance. Without it, findings cannot be generalized beyond the individuals who participated in the study, which often comprise just a couple hundred marketers.

Reliance of simplistic calculations & unaddressed factors

In many studies, a common approach is to compare the overall average salaries of men and women without taking into account the mix of positions, years of tenure, level within their organizations and other influential factors. This method overlooks important factors that influence overall compensation averages. As a result, these studies fail to assess whether men and women marketers with the same qualifications are paid differently for the same work.

Findings from the 2022 Salary Report: Gender Pay Equality Among CMOs

Last year, 6sense Research surveyed hundreds of CMOs — in collaboration with hyper-growth CMO advisor Carilu Dietrich — to understand how senior-level marketing leaders in B2B are paid. No statistically reliable differences were found between the average base salaries, annual bonuses, or equity earned by men and women CMOs.

Compensation Component	Men	Women
Average Base Salary	$200,000 to $250,000	$200,000 to $250,000
Average Bonus	20% to 30%	20% to 30%
Average Equity	.25% to .49% or $1M to $2M (gross value)	.25% to .49% or $1M to $2M (gross value)
Annual Cash Compensation (Salary + Bonus)	$240,000 to $325,000	$240,000 to $325,000
Total Compensation (Salary + Bonus + Fully Vested Equity)	$1.2 million to $2.3 million	$1.2 million to $2.3 million

While these findings were encouraging for the B2B industry, most survey respondents from this study were drawn from technology companies that are financed through private equity or venture capital and thus may not represent B2B marketers as a whole.

We repeated the study again this year in hopes of capturing a broader representation of industries and marketing roles.

2023 Salary Report: Evidence of Equal Opportunity and Pay

This year, our sample consisted of a well-balanced representation of marketers from the following industries:

• Technology and Software 
• Manufacturing 
• Business Services 
• Professional Services
• Financial Services
•  Other (respondents could provide their own industry description)

Our sample also encompasses a balanced mix of company funding types and includes responses from marketers at all levels of organizational strata. 

More information about the sample is available in the Appendix.

Equal Representation of Men and Women

The first significant observation from this year’s salary survey reveals that men and women are equally represented across all levels of marketing. This implies that men and women have equal opportunities for career advancement and occupy senior positions in similar proportions.

Total Annual Compensation

In order to get the full picture of our respondents’ earnings, we gathered data on:

• Base salary 
• Annual bonus percentage
• Any equity (shares of ownership) that is part of their compensation package

While the actual realization of equity can vary significantly, we included the reported equity value in the calculation of their total annual compensation as if it becomes realized at a consistent annual rate.

As you’ll see in the graph below, no statistically reliable differences were found between the total annual compensation of male and female marketers at each level of an organization. 

Together with the equal representation across these roles, we conclude that men and women are equally likely to be in senior levels within marketing, and are paid the same at those levels.

Equal Pay for Men and Women at All Levels of Marketing

An Independent look at Base Salary, Bonuses, and Equity

To ensure a thorough analysis, we examined the three components of respondents’ total compensation (base salary, bonus, and equity) individually. Presented below are a series of graphs illustrating how each compensation category compares between men and women. Spoiler alert: there are no statistically reliable differences.

Base Salary

Men and Women Marketers Report Statistically Comparable Base Salary

Bonus

Equal Average Bonuses for Men and Women Marketers

Equity

As mentioned earlier, we asked respondents whether they receive equity (shares of ownership of their organization) as part of their compensation package. From their answers, we saw that:

• Men and women are equally likely to be offered equity as a part of their compensation package.
• Of those who receive equity, there are no statistically reliable differences in the average value of equity offered to men and women.

Equal Value of Equity for Men and Women B2B Marketers

Satisfaction with Pay: A Shared Perspective

In addition to asking participants how much they earn, we also had them rate their satisfaction with their pay. 
To calculate an overall satisfaction score, we averaged the satisfaction ratings for salary, bonus, equity, and other benefits for each marketer. Our analysis reveals that not only has gender pay parity been achieved in B2B marketing, but men and women are equally as satisfied with their compensation.

Gender Equity in B2B Marketing

Based on the salary data we have collected in the past two years, we’ve seen that:

• Gender pay parity within marketing functions has been consistently observed from 2022 to 2023.
• Men and women are equally likely to hold senior-level titles, indicating a balanced distribution of leadership roles and career progression.
• Gender pay equity extends beyond the technology sector, encompassing Professional Services, Business Services, Manufacturing, Financial Services, and industries in the “other” category.
• Gender pay parity is present at all levels of organizational strata. 
• Men and women are equally likely to receive equity as a part of their compensation. 
• Men and women earn comparable base salaries, bonuses, and equity. 
• Men and women express equal satisfaction with their pay.

Taken together, our analysis illuminates the truly positive and encouraging state of gender equity in B2B marketing. With gender pay parity across industries and marketing roles, equal representation in senior positions, and comparable levels of pay satisfaction, the B2B industry has done its part to foster a fair and inclusive working environment for men and women. This progress should be celebrated as we continue to strive for gender equality in all workplaces.

Appendix

Methods

Sample and Participants

A total of 656 respondents participated in this survey. The respondents consisted of B2B marketing professionals spanning a variety of industries, marketing disciplines and organizational levels from individual contributors to Chief Market Officers (CMOs). 

In our survey, 64% of the respondents identified as women, while 36% identified as men.

Industries

Our sample included participants from Technology and Software, Manufacturing, Business Services, Professional Services, Financial Services and a category labeled “Other,” which allowed respondents to provide their own industry descriptions. However, it is important to note that a majority of the respondents were based in North America.

Industry	Men	Women
Business Services	6.62%	10.46%
Financial Services	2.31%	6.92%
Manufacturing	6.92%	12%
Technology and Software	11.23%	15.85%
Professional Services	4.62%	10.15%
Other	3.69%	9.23%

Experience

When it comes to marketing experience, 43% of the participants reported having four to five years of experience. The remaining portion of our sample was fairly evenly distributed among marketers with less than a year of experience, one to two years, two to three years, and three to four years of experience.

Education

The sample represented a range of education levels, with 8% holding a high school diploma, 11% having an associates degree, 55% holding a bachelor’s degree, and 26% having a master’s degree.

Work Modalities

Among the respondents, 35% were remote workers, 20% worked in-person, and 45% had a hybrid work arrangement.

Company Funding

The sample included respondents from companies with diverse funding types. Approximately 21% of the companies were private equity (PE)-backed, 20% were venture capital (VC)-backed, 36% were privately funded, and 22% were publicly funded.

Statistical Reporting

Finding	Statistical Test	Statistic	Significance Level	Effect Size	Sample Size
Men and women are equally represented across all levels of organizational strata.	Independent Samples T-test	0.283	p=.777	0.023	652
No statistically reliable differences were found between the total annual compensation of men and women marketers at each level of organizational strata.	Independent Samples T-test	-0.105	p=.916	-.009	652
No statistically reliable differences were found between the base salaries earned by men and women marketers.	Independent Samples T-test	0.230	p=.819	0.019	652
No statistically reliable differences were found between the bonuses earned by men and women marketers.	Independent Samples T-test	0.497	p=.619	0.041	648
There are no statistically reliable differences in the amount of men and women marketers that are offered equity compensation.	Independent Samples T-test	1.529	p=.127	0.125	652
There are no statistically reliable differences in the average value of their equity.	Independent Samples T-test	-1.071	p=.285	-0.128	298
There are no statistically reliable differences in the satisfaction of pay reported by men and women marketers.	Welch’s T-test	1.183	p=.237	0.095	648
No statistically significant differences in base salary were found between men and women marketers across various factors, including industry, marketing discipline, position level, education, tenure, work arrangement (in-person, remote, or hybrid), and their employer’s annual revenue, financial performance, and funding type.	Regression	15.761	p=.295	.54	433
No statistically significant differences in bonus percentage were found between men and women marketers across various factors, including industry, marketing discipline, position level, education, tenure, work arrangement (in-person, remote, or hybrid), and their employer’s annual revenue, financial performance, and funding type.	Regression	8.326	p=.508	.38	433
No statistically significant differences in equity value were found between men and women marketers across various factors, including industry, marketing discipline, position level, education, tenure, work arrangement (in-person, remote, or hybrid), and their employer’s annual revenue, financial performance, and funding type.	Regression	1.495	p=.172	.234	178
No statistically significant differences in total annual compensation were found between men and women marketers across various factors, including industry, marketing discipline, position level, education, tenure, work arrangement (in-person, remote, or hybrid), and their employer’s annual revenue, financial performance, and funding type.	Regression	15.178	p=.158	.53	433