The Brewers Association (BA) published its first Salary and Benefits Benchmarking Report since 2020.
Sixty breweries responded with information about 80 common industry jobs, representing 7,396 employees.
Brewbound has compiled information about senior- and entry-level roles in the following disciplines: marketing, production, sales, warehouse management, quality and hospitality.
Branding/Marketing Director: Brand and marketing directors oversee “brand development, marketing strategies, creative staff” and strategic brand planning, requiring 10+ years of “brand development and management experience,” according to the BA’s definition.
Twenty-nine surveyed organizations employed 45 brand/marketing directors: 28 employed salaried workers and one employed hourly workers. Salaried employees made a weighted average of $110,745 a year.
- 25th percentile: $85,000
- 50th percentile: $97,500
- 75th percentile: $128,250
The majority of surveyed organizations with brand/marketing directors were breweries with an annual output of 30,000 to 49,999 barrels (nine total businesses), with a weighted average salary of $97,882.
The one hourly employee worked for a brewery with an annual output of 10,000 to 29,999 barrels. There was no weighted average pay for hourly employees as there were fewer than five organizations with eligible employees.
Social Media Specialist: Social media specialists are responsible for organizing a brewery’s“overall web, digital marketing and social media initiatives” and monitoring “internet trends” and “e-marketing best practices,” and required two-to-three years of applicable experience, and sometimes a bachelor’s degree, according to the BA’s definition.
Thirty surveyed organizations employed 37 social media strategists: 17 employed salaried workers and employed hourly workers. Salaried employees made a weighted average of $55,727 a year.
- 25th percentile: $50,000
- 50th percentile: $57,500
- 75th percentile: $62,967
The majority of surveyed organizations with salaried specialists were breweries with an annual output of 30,000 to 49,999 barrels (five total businesses), with a weighted average salary of $61,946.
Hourly employees made a weighted average of $22.85 an hour.
- 25th percentile: $20.00
- 50th percentile: $21.00
- 75th percentile: $25.00
The majority of surveyed organizations with hourly employees (five) produce 10,000 to 29,999 barrels annually, paying an weighted average hourly wage of $22.12.
Brewmaster: Brewmasters should have a college degree in a science field, with coursework “specific to brewing” and at least 10 years of brewery experience. They are expected to be “an expert at all aspects of brewing and recipes for new beers and making recommendations for portfolio.”
In the survey, 26 organizations reported data for 30 employees. All but one were salaried with an average weighted salary of $112,481. The weighted average salary for breweries producing 30,000-49,999 barrels (nine breweries) was $118,023 and $69,658 for breweries producing fewer than 10,000 barrels (five breweries).
- 25th percentile: $75,000
- 50th percentile: $114,722
- 75th percentile: $135,000
Brewing/Cellar Operator 1 (entry): Entry-level brewing/cellar operators are responsible for “all or part of the brewing process including mixing and blending raw materials, water and other necessary ingredients; monitoring fermentation; checking on the quality of wort/beer both before and after fermentation and filtration; cleaning and sterilizing the brew tanks, filtering and processing equipment; and sensory evaluation.” This position works under direct supervision and vinales “simple and repetitive” tasks.
Nearly 40 organizations reported data for 177 employees, 95.5% of whom are paid hourly with a weighted average of $23.10 per hour. The weighted average salary for salaried employees was $45,735.
Average hourly pay mostly increased with brewery size: breweries making 150,000+ barrels paid $26.87 on average (five organizations), followed by $20.19 for breweries making 30,000-49,999 barrels (eight organizations), $15.32 for breweries making 10,000-29,999 barrels (nine organizations), and $17.30 for breweries making fewer than 10,000 barrels (five organizations).
- 25th percentile: $19.00
- 50th percentile: $21.79
- 7th percentile: $31.43
Chain Account Sales Manager: Chain account sales managers handle relationships with national and regional retail chains and use market data and “competitive activity analysis” to present to chain buyers. They should have at least three years of selling experience, and are responsible for communicating all chain-related information to the brewery’s broader sales team and wholesalers, as well as coordinating with marketing and production to create programming.
Nearly 30 organizations provided data about 52 employees, all of whom were salaried. The weighted average salary was $95,682.
- 25th percentile: $79,896
- 50th percentile: $96,500
- 75th percentile: $112,425
Field Sales Representative: Field sales representatives manage a brewery’s relationships with retail accounts, and may also handle wholesaler partnerships. They should have two years of experience in sales and “knowledge of beer and the beer industry.”
More than 40 organizations provided data about 210 employees, 97.1% of whom were salaried. The weighted average salary was $57,529. Breweries producing 50,000-99,999 barrels annually provided the highest average salary at $67,016, followed by breweries producing 100,000-150,000 barrels ($59,645), and breweries producing 30,000-49,999 barrels ($56,103) and breweries producing 10,000-29,999 barrels ($46,918).
- 25th percentile: $52,250
- 50th percentile: $58,000
- 75th percentile: $65,250
Warehouse/Distribution Handler: A warehouse/distribution handler is an entry-level position that encompasses “‘traditional’ job classifications such as stock handler, inventory, and shipping and receiving,” occasionally requiring “knowledge of DOT [Department of Transportation] and OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] regulations unique to their operations,” according to the BA definition.
Twenty surveyed organizations employed 122 warehouse/distribution handlers. Three employed salaried workers and 17 employed hourly workers.
There was no weighted average pay for salaried employees as there were less than five organizations with eligible employees.
Hourly employees made a weighted average wage of $24.01 an hour.
- 25th percentile: $19.00
- 50th percentile: $27.39
- 75th percentile: $29.24
The majority of surveyed organizations with hourly employees produced 150,000+ barrels annually (five breweries), paying an average weighted wage of $25.10 an hour, or 30,000 to 49,999 barrels (five breweries), paying an average weighted wage of $18.22 an hour.
Warehouse/Distribution Supervisor/Manager: Warehouse/distribution managers typically require an associates degree, or equivalent experience, and are responsible for “the production or services of the warehouse/distribution department,” including assisting “with developing budget and goals” and providing “feedback to third level management,” according to the BA’s definition.
Fourteen surveyed organizations employed 20 employees in the position: 10 employed salaried employees and four employed hourly employees.
Salaried employees made a weighted average annual salary of $67,273.
- 25th percentile: $59,400
- 50th percentile: $66,200
- 75th percentile: $72,000
There was no weighted average pay for hourly employees, as there were less than five organizations with eligible employees. Hourly employees worked for breweries producing between 50,000 and 150,000+ barrels annually.
Quality Manager: Quality managers require a college degree or more in a “related science field, such as chemistry, biology or microbiology, 5+ years experience in the quality field and 5+ years of experience in management.” A “Six Sigma black belt may be required” as well, according to the BA definition. Responsibilities include “all aspects of quality control, food safety, sensory science and management of the quality department staff.”
Thirty organizations employed 39 quality managers: 29 employed salaried employees and one employed an hourly employee.
Full-time employees made a weighted average salary of $82,992 annually.
- 25th percentile: $66,238
- 50th percentile: $79,000
- 75th percentile: $91,500
The majority of surveyed organizations with salaried quality managers produced between 30,000 and 49,999 barrels annually, with a weighted average salary of $67,020, followed by:
- 10,000 to 29,999 barrels (six breweries), with a weighted average salary of $52,774/year;
- 50,000 to 99,999 barrels (five breweries), with a weighted average salary of $83,400/year;
- 100,000 to 150,000 barrels (five breweries), with a weighted average salary of $82,378/year;
- And 150,000+ barrels (five breweries), with a weighted average salary of $105,217/year.
The one hourly employee represented a brewery producing 10,000 to 29,999 barrels annually. There was no weighted average pay for hourly employees as there were fewer than five organizations with eligible employees.
Pub/Tasting Room Manager/Supervisor: Managers of pubs or tasting rooms are “responsible for all aspects of pub operations” and have at least five years of food and beverage management experience. The job “is a public relations position and requires exceptional customer service skills,” the BA wrote.
Thirty organizations reported data for 74 employees, the majority (71.6%) of whom are salaried. The weighted average salary was $63,591. Breweries producing 30,000-49,999 barrels paid an average salary of $70,094, while breweries making 10,000-29,999 barrels paid an average salary of $54,426. No other volume bracket had enough reported salaries to provide sufficient anonymity.
- 25th percentile: $63,100
- 50th percentile: $65,000
- 75th percentile: $74,984
Tipped Pub and Tasting Room Staff (without food): Pub and tasting room staff at breweries without food service earn tips in addition to hourly wages. They are responsible for pouring beer, serving and educating customers, selling retail merchandise and restocking beer and other products. Servers often “must adhere to state regulations and liability concerns,” the BA wrote.
All 447 employees included in the survey were paid hourly by the 34 organizations that responded. The weighted average hourly wage was $11.63.
- 25th percentile: $10.63
- 50th percentile: $20.00
- 7th percentile: $20.00