Exactly 680 of the 3,130 advertising professionals employed in South Carolina, work in Columbia. There has been a 21% decline in the number of advertising professionals in Columbia between the years 2006 and 2010. As the employment for advertising professionals in Columbia has decreased, overall employment in Columbia has increased.

• Grey: South Carolina
• Dark Yellow: Columbia

• Light Blue: Advertising in Columbia
• Dark Yellow: All Professions in Columbia

As the number of advertising professionals in Columbia has shrunk, salaries for advertising professionals have increased. Columbia advertising professionals made $57,485 per year, on average, in 2010. Four years earlier in 2006, advertising professionals in Columbia made an average salary of $46,088 per year. This growth is faster than the salary trend for all careers in Columbia.

Advertising professionals make a median salary of $53,530 per year in Columbia. The difference in pay between the advertising professionals in the lowest pay bracket and those in the highest pay bracket is approximately 143%. Those in the lowest 10% of the pay bracket earn less than $36,690 per year, while those in the highest 10% of the pay bracket earn more than $89,328 per year.

Advertising professional salaries in Columbia are, on average, lower than salaries earned for professionals in related fields.

There is only one accredited advertising school in the city. Many of Columbia's advertising professionals are graduates of this school.

There are a total of 2 degree and certificate programs in advertising offered by Columbia's advertising schools.

In 2010 approximately 198 students graduated from advertising courses.