Industry Salaries Continued Climbing in 2025
C2HR research reveals that media industry employers are continuing their multiyear trend of increasing salaries for all worker segments. Data published recently reveals that 2025 merit increases, which are part of company salary adjustment budgets, averaged 3.1% for broadband connectivity employers (slightly less than last year’s 3.3%). Among content creators, 2025 merit increases for employees also averaged 3.3%, a tad higher than last year’s 3.2% (See figure).
“Year after year, our members prove that steady wage growth is part of this industry’s DNA,” said Parthavi Das, Executive Director of C2HR. “These increases demonstrate commitment to the talented employees who power this industry and keep it moving forward.”
The same research projects that salary increases in 2026 will remain consistent — 3.1% for connectivity companies and 3.2% for content creators. These increases slightly lag general industry salary raises of 3.7% in 2025 and 3.6% in 2026 (projected) as reported by World at Work (See figure).
“We were pleased to discover that even in these more challenging times, we saw consistent, rather than lower budgets year over year,” said Hali Croner, President and CEO of The Croner Company, which collected the data for C2HR. “This consistency demonstrates participants’ commitment to growing the compensation of their staffs.”
Salary Structure Adjustments
In addition to merit increases, research also reveals changes to company salary structures. Adjustments to salary structures are not based on performance, rather they apply across the defined salary ranges for each position.
In 2025 adjustments were mixed for content executives. Some companies reported 3.0% structure increases and others none. On average, content developers adjusted salary structures for exempt employees (generally midlevel managers and other salaried employees) by 3.3% and nonexempt employees (hourly) by 3.2%.
Among connectivity providers, in 2025 respondents raised exempt employee salary structures by 2.3% and hourly employees by 2.3%. None reported salary structure adjustments for executives.
Budgets Flat Across Other Industries
How do media industry merit budgets compare with other industries? “These budgets are consistent with other industry findings,” explained Croner. “As with all averages, the flat results include reduced budgets, increased budgets and flat budgets. We saw this mix across all of the industries we study.”
These flat salary budgets could impact employee retention; however, other market factors such as stagnant job growth and an influx of former government workers into the labor market could mitigate negative impacts.
“We observe from labor reports the phenomenon of ‘job hugging’ where people are staying in their roles, and decreasing job openings, where companies are taking a more cautious approach to raising fixed human resources costs as they navigate material change in the media industry,” noted Croner.
“At the same time, when there are openings, companies are challenged to find the right talent. Companies continue to focus on retaining their top talent not only through differentiated salary increases, but by ensuring top performers know how much they are valued at the company, given opportunities for career growth and shown career paths and salary ranges. It is uncertain that the flat budgets will have the same impact as in times of a more competitive job market,” she added.
The Croner Company collected the data for C2HR in two interim Salary Budget Surveys that it provides complimentary to participants in the association’s Annual Compensation Surveys. For additional information on the C2HR Annual Compensation Surveys, please visit C2hr.org/compensation-survey. To participate in C2HR’s 2026 surveys, please contact Laurie Krashanoff, via this form, or call her at 415.485.5521
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