A dated snapshot of SEO hiring, pay, and skills demand, based on 19,205 postings as of October 2025.
Key findings
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Postings analyzed | 19,205 |
| National median salary | $65,000 |
| Salary range | $36,250–$101,239 |
| Top-earning metro | Fremont, CA ($101,239) |
| Fastest-growing skill | AI / GEO / AEO |
AI-SEO/AEO skills demand was not measured in the original baseline, so no estimate is presented.
AI-SEO and AEO skills demand
The share of SEO postings requiring AI, GEO, AEO, or LLM skills will publish with the first approved automated collection. Rankability does not surface an estimate before it has been measured. The metric includes explicit requirements for Generative Engine Optimization, Answer Engine Optimization, ChatGPT, Gemini, AI Overviews, LLM workflows, and prompt engineering. Year-over-year movement is reported in percentage points.
The wider market signal is clear: search demand for AI-agent topics grew nearly 22× in three years.
AI, GEO, and AEO skills are reshaping what SEO employers pay for. Explore how Rankability tracks and improves visibility across traditional and AI search.
Average SEO salary by metro
| Metro | Postings | Average salary |
|---|---|---|
| Fremont, CA | — | $101,239 |
| New York, NY | 475 | $76,235 |
| Chicago, IL | — | $72,593 |
| Los Angeles, CA | — | $71,917 |
| Long Beach, CA | 298 | $70,626 |
| Arlington, TX | — | $64,957 |
| Garland, TX | — | $64,737 |
| Dallas, TX | — | $64,670 |
| Plano, TX | — | $64,573 |
| Irving, TX | 256 | $63,929 |
Government baseline (U.S. BLS)
These public-domain Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS figures provide wage and employment anchors for the occupations to which SEO roles map.
| Occupation | Code | Median wage | Employment | Projected growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 13-1161 | — | — | +8% |
| Web Developers | 15-1254 | — | — | +8% |
Methodology
This is a dated snapshot, not a real-time ticker. Data is collected monthly, validated, and only published after human review.
- Adzuna API: posting volume, salaries, geographic breakdown, salary history, and top hiring companies.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS: public-domain wage and employment baselines.
- AI-SEO skills demand: the share of sampled postings requiring AI, GEO, AEO, LLM, ChatGPT, Gemini, AI Overview, or prompt-engineering skills.
- Validation: low-volume metros and implausible or null salaries are rejected; large year-over-year swings are reviewed. Failed checks block publication.
The October 2025 figures are the published baseline. Automated snapshots replace them only after collection, validation, and explicit human approval. Draft data never reaches the public study.
Reuse the metro data
The underlying table is suitable for attribution and embedding. Please retain a link to this study as the source and credit job-market data to Adzuna.
| Metro | Postings | Average salary |
|---|---|---|
| Fremont, CA | — | $101,239 |
| New York, NY | 475 | $76,235 |
| Chicago, IL | — | $72,593 |
| Los Angeles, CA | — | $71,917 |
| Long Beach, CA | 298 | $70,626 |
| Arlington, TX | — | $64,957 |
| Garland, TX | — | $64,737 |
| Dallas, TX | — | $64,670 |
| Plano, TX | — | $64,573 |
| Irving, TX | 256 | $63,929 |
Keep going
- Read the Rankability blog for guides to GEO, AEO, and the AI-search skills employers value.
- Learn about AI search reporting.
- See Rankability plans.
Explore Rankability plans and create content that wins AI visibility.