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Is a Marketing Degree Worth It?

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A marketing degree could mean job opportunities in an in-demand field.

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If you鈥檙e interested in pursuing a career in marketing and want to grow beyond entry-level roles, earning your bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing may be a worthwhile choice. Not only is the subject matter practical, but the degree is versatile. It can also introduce you to subjects in business, sales, and advertising, among other key areas, all of which may help you expand your job search and stay competitive in a changing market.

Benefits of earning a business degree in marketing聽

Earning your bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing may come with certain advantages. Let鈥檚 review what those are.听

Career readiness聽

Marketing is a practical subject that blends strategy and creativity. Thanks to the subjects you should study as part of your degree program (business, sales, consumer behavior, advertising, communications), you鈥檒l not only have the specific subject knowledge to apply to a number of careers in marketing, but you鈥檒l also gain important transferable skills that employers value in job candidates.听

Career growth聽

You do not need a marketing degree to land a number of entry-level marketing jobs. But many marketing jobs at the associate, senior, or manager level do require a bachelor鈥檚 degree, so it can be useful to have if you鈥檙e interested in advancing your career.听

If you know what kind of marketing you鈥檇 like to pursue after graduation, look at associate- and senior-level job postings to get a sense of minimum educational requirements so you can plan accordingly.听

Salary growth聽

Earning your bachelor鈥檚 degree tends to pay more over time. Bachelor鈥檚 degree holders earn an average of $1,493 a week compared to associate degree holders ($1,058) or high school graduates ($899), according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [闭.听

With a bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing, you may find yourself eligible for more advanced roles that come with a higher salary. For example, roles as market research analysts and marketing managers both require a bachelor鈥檚 degree, and both have an average salary of more than $100,000.

In-demand work

As long as companies have products or services to sell, they will need marketers to help them reach new and existing customers. The BLS reported an 8 percent rise in marketing jobs for this decade, faster than the average []. Remote work possibilities also continue to grow. A recent Robert Half report showed that of new, skilled jobs created in the third quarter of 2024, remote work consisted of 17 percent of senior-level positions, 13 percent of mid-level positions, and 10 percent of entry-level positions [].

Is a marketing degree worth it? Time and costs

Students must complete a minimum of 120 college credits to earn their bachelor鈥檚 degree, which takes full-time students around four years to do. If you鈥檝e successfully passed AP or IB exams during high school, or if you鈥檝e previously earned college credit, you may be able to speed up that timeline and graduate faster.

The cost of a bachelor鈥檚 degree depends on whether you attend a public or private institution. Tuition and fees, on average, cost $11,610 for in-state students attending a public college or university ($30,780 for out-of-state students) and $43,350 for students attending a private institution, according to The College Board [闭.听

3 ways to get the most from your marketing major

1. Choose the best program for you.听

All marketing programs differ to some extent, and it鈥檚 important that you find the one that best fits your current needs and future goals. Take time to research marketing departments (or business schools with a marketing concentration) before you begin applying for your bachelor鈥檚 degree.听

Look over the faculty and their experience, as well as the courses you鈥檒l be expected to complete. Do the courses align with what you want to learn? Are there mentorship opportunities so that you can benefit from a professor鈥檚 guidance? Make a list of your top departments, ensuring that each selection will help you achieve your goals, and focus on applying to those schools.听

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2. Supplement your education with minor or elective classes.

The major requirements of your degree program will determine many of the marketing courses you take, but you have the option to minor in a complementary subject or take elective courses that supplement your learning. For a minor, meet with your academic advisor to select a minor that will deepen your marketing skill set, such as communications or economics, or search online for recommendations from current and previous marketing students.听

For electives, review your school鈥檚 course catalog and look for courses in business administration, communications, economics, and psychology to broaden your understanding of the ideas that underpin marketing.听

3. Pursue internships.

Many entry-level jobs require somewhere between one to three years of experience. You can gain some of that experience during your undergraduate career by applying to internships and ideally completing between one and three before graduating. Students typically intern during the summer, earning college credit and (increasingly) getting paid for their work.听

Internships not only help you gain real experience to add to your resume, but they can be an excellent opportunity to expand your network. The connections you make interning at a company one summer may lead to another internship the following summer. Plus, the people you work for鈥攁nd with鈥攎ay be able to help connect you with opportunities or companies once you鈥檙e ready for a full-time role.听

Trying to decide which marketing degree is right for you? Learn more about the different types of degrees you can earn and whether marketing is the best major for you.

What can you do with a marketing degree?聽

If you鈥檙e interested in a career in marketing, there are a number of areas you can explore, such as research, strategy, design, and social. Thanks to the subjects you鈥檒l likely study as part of your marketing degree program, you should also have a firm understanding of business, sales, and advertising, meaning you could explore careers in those industries as well.听

Entry-level job titleAverage US salary*
Social media coordinator$48,395 []
Marketing assistant$48,720 []
Assistant media planner$60,146 []
SEO specialist$64,915 []
Sales representative$75,153 []
Junior copywriter$58,453 []
Business analyst$103,991 []

Marketing degree alternatives聽

A bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing can be a strong addition to your resume, especially as you continue moving forward in your career. But there are other options if you鈥檙e interested in pursuing a marketing career and don鈥檛 want to commit to a four-year degree program.听

Courses

If you鈥檙e unsure about whether a bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing is the best choice for you, consider taking an introductory course to see if you connect with the subject matter. You can audit the University of Pennsylvania鈥檚 Introduction to Marketing course on 糖心vlog官网观看 for free. You鈥檒l learn about branding, market strategy, and understanding customers鈥 needs鈥攁ll of which are foundational marketing concepts.

Associate degree

If you鈥檙e interested in earning an academic degree but aren鈥檛 sure about committing four years (at minimum) to earning a bachelor鈥檚, then a two-year or associate degree in marketing may be a better option. After you complete your general education course requirements, you can take marketing courses that are geared to introduce you to business, sales, economics or finance, and consumer behavior. With your associate degree, you can either pursue entry-level jobs in marketing, or apply to bachelor鈥檚 programs and continue your education.听

Professional certificates聽

If you鈥檙e interested in changing careers to marketing, or developing a more specialized knowledge of a marketing area, earning your professional certificate can be a more timely and cost-effective way to gain subject-specific knowledge鈥攁nd add to your credentials. Meta offers two professional certificates on 糖心vlog官网观看: one in marketing analytics and another in social media marketing. Each takes about six to seven months to complete and is geared toward beginners with no prior experience.听

Next steps

Interested in earning your bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing online? The University of London鈥檚 BSc in Marketing program is designed to be completed in as little as three years if you dedicate 10 to 12 hours a week to study. The progressive structure begins with basic concepts and moves into more specialized areas of marketing.

Article sources

1.听

US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥溌爃ttps://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2024/data-on-display/education-pays.htm." Accessed January 22, 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.