SEO Jobs in the USA (2024 Case Study)

Recently, our team reviewed tens of thousands of job listings from over 100 cities in the US.

They did this so we could gain a better understanding of the SEO job market and determine if an SEO strategist is still an in-demand role.

Here’s what we found out:

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:

1. Annual Salary
2. Total Number of Jobs
3. Job Type (Full & Part-Time)
4. Job Requirements (A Mixture of Experience Levels)
5. 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:

1. New York, NY – $76,235
2. Long Beach, CA – $70,626
3. Irving, TX – $63,929
4. Los Angeles, CA – $71,917
5. Dallas, TX – $64,670
6. Plano, TX – $64,573
7. Garland, TX – $64,737
8. Arlington, TX – $64,957
9. Chicago, IL – $72,593
10. 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, they had a comfortable amount 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, CA, Long Beach, CA, had 298 job listings online. There was, however, a decent average salary for these roles of $70,626.

During our research, we also found that out of the 298 jobs, 55 of them 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, averaging a 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.

There were also many job posts focusing 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 actually had more remote jobs than Garland despite only having 229 job postings. Also, they had a range of jobs, from an SEO web content specialist to a junior SEO specialist.

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 have knowledge of 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 in cities like San Diego.

Many of these jobs were over the $100k mark, 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.

1. Corpus Christi, TX – $85,000
2. Lubbock, TX – $53,125
3. Laredo, TX – $50,000
4. Stockton, CA – $65,000
5. Anchorage, AK- $52,667
6. El Paso, TX – $68,750
7. Port St. Lucie, FL – $45,000
8. Bakersfield, CA – $36,250
9. Huntsville, AL – $56,522
10. Spokane, WA – $58,478

We rated these the worst because there are hardly any opportunities for SEOs.

1. Corpus Christi, TX

In Corpus Christi, TX, there were only 3 job opportunities, 1 being a remote SEO job. Out of these 3 opportunities, the average salary 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 2nd worst city for SEO, as they only had 5 opportunities, only 2 more than Corpus Christi, TX.

These 5 jobs had an average salary of $53,125 and required mid-level experience or lower. Though this is great for SEO associates, there just aren’t enough SEO marketing jobs for SEOs in this area.

3. Laredo, TX

Laredo, TX, actually ties in with Lubbock, as they only have 5 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

In California, Stockton has the lowest amount of search engine optimization specialist jobs. There are only 6, which average a 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

For Anchorage, AK, there were 6 jobs in total averaging a salary of $52,667. Out of the 6 jobs we found, 5 were entry-level, requiring a high school 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 other Texas cities above) at 7 – “very impressive” – with an average salary of $68,750.

Interestingly, most required entry to mid-level SEO experience, for instance, knowing 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 7 in total with an average salary of $45,000.

Most of these jobs have a salary of between $35k to $45k, indicating more of 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

When it comes to Huntsville, they had 9 total jobs at an average salary of $56,522. Though not many opportunities, they had some SEO jobs offering a salary 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 only has 9 total 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-, mid-, and senior-level roles. However, there’s just 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 that’s considered “bad” for SEOs, then look for remote work in places with “good” SEO roles. There are plenty to pick from, so you should be able to find something.

One last note: if this seems overwhelming, you should consider getting an SEO career mentor or learning an SEO training curriculum like Gotch SEO Academy.