Q: What would you expect a affiliate manager with 2-3 years experience to make?
A: There are a number of variables that will dictate the relative worth of any given affiliate manager. Things to consider include geographic location, track record as an affiliate manager, brands they’ve represented, who they know, etc.
If you’re located near New York City or San Francisco, you’ll generally merit a higher salary because a good portion of the affiliate marketing industry resides in those areas, and the cost of living is high.
Your experience as an affiliate manager will factor in. Some affiliate managers have been doing the job for 2-3 years, but their accomplishments speak more than their length of time there. Have they been meeting and exceeding the goals?
And where were you previously as an affiliate manager? There are many types of affiliate programs (pay per lead, percentage of sale, etc) and the size of the brand, or lack thereof, will mean something.
Also, who do you know? Is your Rolodex filled with the sort of affiliates that will make merchants salivate? Affiliate marketing is all about relationships, and without a list of prominent relationships, your stock will go down.
As far as real numbers, I gathered data from affiliate managers for my AffStat 2006 Report and the salaries averaged from feedback by nearly 200 affiliate managers broke out as follows:
- > $120k – 6%
- $110 to $120k – 1%
- $100 to $110k – 4%
- $90 to $100k – 1%
- $80 to $90k – 4%
- $70 to $80k – 14%
- $60 to $70k – 14%
- $50 to $60k – 13%
- $40 to $50k – 22%
- < $40k - 21%
Note that these numbers are averaged for all affiliate managers. Also, some affiliate managers receive bonuses and incentives as part of their salary and this compensation is included.