Short answer
The Baltimore metro area had 332 advertising, PR and related agency establishments in 2023, employing 3,534 people on a $413.2 million payroll (Census County Business Patterns). Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties had 91 each and Baltimore city 71, but the city had the most employees, 1,342. 108 were advertising agencies and 92 PR agencies. To choose one, check its Maryland registration, watch for red flags in the pitch, and confirm the team in writing.
- 332 agency establishments in the Baltimore metro employ 3,534 people, 0.85% of the 38,864 in the US.
- Baltimore city's 71 offices employ 1,342 people, about 19 each; Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties average about 7.
- Advertising agencies here average 19.8 employees per office and $143,017 in pay per employee.
- No Baltimore agency office has 500 or more employees; 6 have 100 to 499.
- Under Armour, headquartered in Baltimore, reported $502.3 million of marketing and advertising costs for fiscal 2026.
On this page
This page is for Baltimore-area businesses, hospitals, universities and public bodies hiring a marketing agency, people researching the local market, and vendors that sell to agencies.
Baltimore's numbers
| Measure (2023) | Baltimore metro |
|---|---|
| Establishments | 332 |
| Employees | 3,534 |
| Annual payroll | $413,155,000 |
| Average employees per establishment | 10.6 |
| Average annual pay | $116,909 |
| Share of US establishments | 0.85% of 38,864 |
Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns (CBP) 2023, for the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metro Area (CBSA 12580) and NAICS 5418, Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services. CBP counts establishments with paid employees, not companies, and excludes the self-employed, so freelancers aren't in these figures.
The city versus the counties
| Jurisdiction | Establishments | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Anne Arundel County | 91 | 644 |
| Baltimore County | 91 | 687 |
| Baltimore city | 71 | 1,342 |
| Howard County | 38 | 679 |
| Harford County | 21 | 113 |
| Carroll County | 12 | 47 |
| Queen Anne's County | 8 | 22 |
Baltimore city is its own jurisdiction, separate from Baltimore County. It has fewer offices than either Anne Arundel or Baltimore County but about twice the employees of each: about 19 per office, against about 7 in the two big counties. Howard County's 38 offices average about 18. Expect larger teams in the city and Howard County, and owner-led shops more often elsewhere.
Size: fully published
| Employees per establishment | Establishments |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 217 |
| 5 to 9 | 43 |
| 10 to 19 | 33 |
| 20 to 49 | 24 |
| 50 to 99 | 9 |
| 100 to 249 | 3 |
| 250 to 499 | 3 |
The Census Bureau doesn't publish cells above 500 employees here, but the published cells already add up to 332, so no Baltimore agency office has 500 or more. In bands, 293 have fewer than 20 employees, 33 have 20 to 99 and 6 have 100 or more.
What kinds of agencies
Advertising agencies (541810) are fewer than in most metros, 108, but larger: 2,138 employees, 19.8 per office, at average pay of $143,017 (our calculation from CBP). PR agencies (541820) are the opposite: 92 offices with 371 employees, about 4 each. Then come 82 promotional products and other advertising services firms (541890), 21 direct mail firms (541860) with 430 employees, 13 media representative offices (541840), 10 display advertising firms (541850) and 4 media buying agencies (541830). The 2 remaining establishments are in a code whose row the Census Bureau doesn't publish here.
Outside 5418, CBP counts 351 marketing consultancies (541613) with 5,678 employees, more people than all of 5418, and 156 graphic design studios (541430). See the NAICS code for marketing for which kind of firm sits where.
A local brand advertiser
Under Armour, Inc., at 101 Performance Drive in Baltimore, reported marketing and advertising costs of $502.3 million for its fiscal year ended 31 March 2026, down from $549.9 million the year before. No SEC-listed company in the advertising SIC codes (7310 to 7319) is headquartered in the metro, and the holding companies' 10-Ks don't list Baltimore offices.
Red flags in an agency pitch
| Red flag | Why it matters | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| The ad account will be set up "on our side" | Google says an agency "must set up a separate Ads account for you" | Will the account be in our name, with Admin access for us? |
| Reporting comes only as their own dashboard | Google requires agencies' monthly reports to show Google's charges "exclusive of any fees" | Can we see the same numbers in our own accounts? |
| A management fee is folded into media costs | Google requires agencies to disclose a separate management fee on every invoice | Show us a sample invoice. |
| The senior people pitch and then vanish | Your work is done by whoever is staffed | Name the team and their share of our hours, in the contract. |
| No mention of who owns the creative | The Copyright Office explains that commissioned work is a "work made for hire" only in nine narrow categories, with a signed agreement | Will you assign copyright in final work to us on payment? |
| A long lock-in | Stagwell's 10-K says its contracts "typically provide for termination by either party within 30 to 90 days" | What is the notice period after the first term? |
Selling to Baltimore agencies, and selling with them
Public bodies in Maryland buy marketing through formal solicitations. The state's eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) describes itself as "Maryland's new online procurement platform used to connect the vendor community with contracting opportunities," and it lists public solicitations. If you're a hospital system, university or agency hiring through a formal process, it's where your request for proposals goes; if you sell to agencies, the agencies that win public work are often the ones growing.
Illustrative example. The company and figures are invented.
Accessly (accessly.example) sells accessibility testing for websites and campaign assets at $250 a month to agencies whose public-sector and healthcare clients require accessible content. Baltimore has 108 advertising agencies and 92 PR agencies, 200 in all. If an illustrative 35% serve public, healthcare or university clients, about 70 fit, worth about $210,000 a year if all bought. The opener names a public client the agency lists on its site and the accessibility requirement in that client's procurement. Finding those 70 is account research, which Bebop does for each agency in a list; see how to build a prospect list for the method.
Where to check Baltimore agencies
- Maryland Business Express entity search, to confirm an agency's legal name and standing with the state.
- Greater Baltimore Committee, the region's business leadership organization.
- Baltimore Development Corporation, the city's economic development agency.
Next step: to widen the search beyond Maryland, see how agencies are ranked and listed nationally in the largest advertising agencies and marketing firms.
Sources
- County Business Patterns (CBP), 2023, US Census Bureau, accessed 30 October 2026
- County Business Patterns methodology, US Census Bureau, accessed 30 October 2026
- North American Industry Classification System, 2022, US Census Bureau, accessed 30 October 2026
- Under Armour, Inc. Form 10-K for fiscal 2026, Under Armour, via SEC EDGAR, 19 May 2026
- Advertiser guide: Working with third parties, Google Advertising Policies Help, accessed 30 October 2026
- Transparency requirements, Google Advertising Policies Help, accessed 30 October 2026
- Stagwell Inc. Form 10-K for 2025, Stagwell, via SEC EDGAR, 13 March 2026
- Circular 30: Works Made for Hire, US Copyright Office, revised August 2024
- eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA), State of Maryland, accessed 30 October 2026
Written by the Bebop team at Blackpearl Group. Published .
Questions people ask
How many marketing agencies are in Baltimore?
County Business Patterns counted 332 advertising, PR and related agency establishments with paid employees in the Baltimore metro area in 2023, employing 3,534 people. Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties had 91 each, Baltimore city 71 and Howard County 38. The metro also had 351 marketing consultancies, counted separately. Freelancers without employees aren't included.
What do marketing agency employees earn in Baltimore?
Across all advertising, PR and related establishments in the Baltimore metro, average pay was $116,909 per employee in 2023. Advertising agencies alone averaged $143,017, by our calculation from County Business Patterns payroll and employment. That pay, plus benefits, rent and margin, is what sits behind an agency's hourly rates and retainers.
Where do Maryland public bodies post marketing agency RFPs?
State solicitations go through eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA), which Maryland describes as its online procurement platform connecting vendors with contracting opportunities. Agencies register there to receive bid notices and submit responses, and a public solicitations page lists open bids. Local governments, schools and hospitals may also run their own processes, so check each buyer's procurement page.
What are red flags when hiring a marketing agency?
Ad accounts set up in the agency's name, reports you can't check in your own accounts, management fees folded into media costs, a pitch team that won't commit to working on your account, silence on who owns the creative, and long lock-ins. Google requires agencies to set up a separate account for you and to disclose management fees on invoices, so ask to see a sample invoice.