You have several options when you鈥檙e interested in earning your undergraduate degree in marketing. Learn more about each degree type and what you can do after graduation.
Marketers promote a company鈥檚 products or services by researching and developing effective messaging. They鈥檙e an integral part of any company鈥檚 business plan, and the need for their talents only continues to rise. The US has seen 5.8 million new marketing and advertising job roles since February of 2023 []. While a bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing isn鈥檛 always required to qualify for entry-level roles, you may find that earning one helps you qualify for more jobs鈥攁nd more senior-level jobs. You can also position yourself for roles outside of marketing with the versatile skills you鈥檒l develop throughout your marketing degree 辫谤辞驳谤补尘.听
In this article, we鈥檒l go over key facts about the bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing, including the different majors available in this area, the coursework you can expect to take, and what you can do with the degree after graduation.听
A bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing is an undergraduate degree. Marketing is often taught as a subset of business, which is among the most popular majors in the United States [].听
When you choose to study marketing, you may have the option of earning your Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in the subject or earning your Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BBA) with a concentration in marketing. Let鈥檚 go over the differences between each degree.听
Many colleges and universities offer a marketing major through their business school. In that case, you鈥檒l earn your BBA and concentrate in marketing instead of another area, such as sales or management.听
However, you may find that some institutions offer a BS or BA in marketing. In that case, you鈥檒l focus more exclusively on marketing, alongside some required business-related courses to augment your overall education:
BBA with marketing concentration: You鈥檒l learn broadly about business, including sales, customer management, and finance, with several courses focused on marketing.
BS or BA in marketing: You鈥檒l learn about marketing with several courses focused on business, sales, customer management, and related topics. Learn more about the central difference between the BS and BA degrees.
Earn your bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing from the University of London. The program covers operations and strategic management, international business and accounting, market research, consumer behavior, global marketing, and other key modules.
Marketing degree requirements differ by institution, but after completing your general education courses, you will typically have to complete at least 30 credits toward your marketing or business major.听
With both majors, you can expect to take classes in business, sales, accounting, human resources, communication, and advertising, as well as specialized marketing courses in areas like global marketing, content marketing, and social media marketing. Classes may include:
Principles of marketing
Strategic management
Corporate finance听
Economics of global business
Consumer behavior
Law, business, and society
Social media strategy
Digital analytics听
You鈥檒l need to earn around 120 credits to graduate with your bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing; that takes between four and five years to complete when you鈥檙e able to attend full time.听
The cost of your bachelor鈥檚 degree will depend on whether you attend a public or a private nonprofit school. During the 2022 to 2023 academic year, tuition and fees averaged $9,800 at public institutions and $40,700 at private non-profit institutions []. Those figures don鈥檛 include the cost of housing, books, and other expenses often associated with attending an undergraduate 辫谤辞驳谤补尘.听
Marketers perform various functions depending on their area of focus, but by and large, they are responsible for creating and distributing effective messaging intended to reach customers. There are a number of marketing areas worth exploring, including research, strategy, design, writing, events, and social media. Some marketers run a company鈥檚 social media channels, others research customer needs, while others still may work on a company鈥檚 search engine optimization (SEO) so customers learn about relevant products organically.
Even if you choose not to go into marketing, you鈥檒l often develop an array of transferable skills thanks to your marketing degree that will help you explore careers related to business, sales, research, communications, and more. A bachelor鈥檚 in marketing can help you hone your research, critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, among many others.
Business and marketing are among the most in-demand majors in the US, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) []. That popularity parallels the demands of the workplace. The year 2024 saw a 76 percent increase in global marketing jobs posted on LinkedIn [].
In general, a bachelor鈥檚 degree can often lead to higher salaries. Bachelor鈥檚 degree holders earned a median weekly income of $1,737 in 2023 compared to high school graduates, who earned a median weekly income of $899, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics []. For bachelor鈥檚 degree graduates in business, the average starting salary in 2024 is $63,907鈥攁n increase of 3 percent from 2023 [].听
Thanks to both specific marketing careers and the range of other opportunities you can explore with your bachelor鈥檚 in marketing, graduates qualify for a number of roles.
Job title | Average salary (US) |
---|---|
Social media marketing assistant | $46,643 [] |
Marketing assistant | $48,714 [] |
Communications specialist | $58,938 [] |
Market research analyst | $78,666 [] |
Communications manager | $80,538 [] |
Event marketing manager | $78,640 [] |
Whether or not you should earn a marketing degree depends on your interests, career goals, and resources. Marketing can be an excellent major thanks to its versatility. Many students pursue an undergraduate degree because of the career pathways it opens up. While that is certainly an important factor, it鈥檚 not the only one. It can help to choose a major based on your interests, values, or long-term personal goals.听
Think about what you鈥檒l learn over the course of your major and how that will help you achieve your larger goals, be they about personal development, subject knowledge, or career preparation. A bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing is not always necessary for entry-level roles, but earning it may help you qualify for more senior-level opportunities, which in turn can increase your earning power.听
Investing your time and other resources into earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing may be the best option for you, but there are educational alternatives worth considering:
Associate degree: Earn your two-year associate degree in marketing, which can introduce you to important concepts. You can also enter the workforce and gain professional experience before returning to complete your bachelor鈥檚.
Professional certificate: Often a shorter educational track, a certificate program doesn鈥檛 require an academic degree and is geared toward helping you gain important career-ready skills.
Individual courses: It may not be necessary to earn a full degree in order to learn what you want or need to know. You may find that taking a course or two on specific marketing subjects better prepares you for a marketing career. Explore Introduction to Marketing from the University of Pennsylvania on 糖心vlog官网观看.听
Earn your Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of London and enjoy the flexibility of taking classes remotely and on your own schedule. Or, if you鈥檙e looking for another means to learn about marketing, explore Meta Professional Certificates in high-demand marketing areas such as social media marketing or marketing analytics. You can gain valuable industry knowledge and apply it toward your career.
MarketingHire. 鈥, https://marketinghire.com/salary-hiring-research-trends/marketing-job-market-update-q1-2024.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
University of the Potomac. 鈥, https://potomac.edu/the-most-popular-degrees-in-us-and-worldwide/.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
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National Association of Colleges and Employers. 鈥, https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:34520248-0e98-466d-9bba-957d453168c6.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
LinkedIn. 鈥, https://www.linkedin.com/business/marketing/blog/marketing-collective/global-marketing-jobs-outlook-trends-skills.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/emp/chart-unemployment-earnings-education.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/social-media-marketing-assistant-salary-SRCH_KO0,32.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-marketing-assistant-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,22.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
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Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-market-research-analyst-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,26.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
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Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-event-marketing-manager-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,26.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.