Is a marketing degree worth it? Marketing is a growing field with the potential for job advancement and impressive salaries. A bachelor’s degree in marketing may lay the groundwork for success in this business discipline.
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As a marketing professional, you may have opportunities to sell products, represent brands, study consumer trends, design advertising campaigns, and build customer loyalty.
Is a Marketing Degree Worth It?
Yes, a marketing degree is worth it for many students. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting 5% job growth in management occupations over the next 10 years.
Common marketing careers in this field include market research analyst, marketing manager, advertising and promotions manager, sales manager, and copywriter. In a marketing program, you’ll study how people think and what motivates them to become customers or develop brand loyalty.
These topics are often covered in classes on psychology and consumer behavior. You’ll also learn to conduct research to find out more about people’s needs and desires.
Today’s marketing is often done in digital spaces. So, modern marketing programs branch out beyond traditional advertising channels and teach you to work in online spaces as well.
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If your goal is to become a social media specialist, a marketing degree can help you get there. Success in marketing requires constant adaptation to consumer trends and your clients’ needs.
A degree in marketing won’t prepare you for every inevitability that you might encounter during your career. What it will do, though, is lay the groundwork so you’ll be more equipped to face whatever new developments may arise.
Marketing is a business discipline, so you can expect to take a core set of business classes that will help you succeed in the workforce. These fundamentals may also prepare you to take non-marketing business jobs, interact with colleagues from other departments in your company, or study for an MBA someday.
In the field of marketing, you’ll find that there’s plenty of room for growth. While you might start out as a marketing specialist or an advertising sales representative, there could be management or consulting positions in your future.
How to Decide Whether a Marketing Degree Is Right for You
A career in business could lead you in many different directions, including finance, human resources, accounting, IT, and more.
Out of the many branches of business, you may fit particularly well in the field of marketing if you’re into creativity, psychology, analytics, and teamwork.
1. Creative thinking is your strong suit.
Effective marketing often depends on new ideas and out-of-the-box thinking. No two marketing jobs are quite the same, and trends change frequently.
Being a creative thinker may come in handy during your studies and after you enter the job market. Fresh ideas and an ability to see things from another perspective may help you adapt to various industries and keep up with an ever-changing assortment of marketing channels.
2. You’re fascinated by human thought and behavior.
Marketing and psychology have a lot in common. The more you understand why people think and act the way they do, the better you’ll be able to persuade them to use your products or sign up for your services.
You’ll probably take at least one course on consumer behavior during your program. It may cover topics like motivation and learning theories. The lessons you learn in this class will often have applications throughout the rest of your curriculum and career.
3. Numbers and analytics don’t scare you.
Marketing is often a numbers game. Marketers should know how to conduct research, analyze data, and use their conclusions to inform marketing decisions.
While you don’t need to have the differential calculus skills of a math major, it helps for your creative abilities to be balanced by a willingness to engage in quantitative analysis.
4. You enjoy collaborating with others.
Teamwork is essential in marketing. During college, you may engage in a number of group projects. Even in online marketing degree classes, professors might assign group work frequently.
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These team projects may prepare you for life in the workforce. Marketing isn’t a solo discipline, so professionals spend a good deal of time collaborating with one another. If working with others energizes and inspires you, marketing could be a great fit.
5 Things You Can Do with a Marketing Degree
As a marketing major, you may find jobs in advertising, sales, social media, and a variety of related disciplines. After starting in an entry-level role, you may even climb the ladder toward a high-paying management position.
1. Advertising and Promotions Manager
Advertising is a discipline within the field of marketing. As an advertising professional, you might create campaigns to increase the sales of clients’ products or services. In promotions, you’d brainstorm ways to reward people for becoming customers.
Managers oversee advertising or promotions teams. To land a management role, you may first work as an advertising sales representative. That job position can provide invaluable experience in creating campaigns and satisfying clients.
2. Marketing Manager
Marketing is a broader field than advertising. In addition to figuring out ways to sell products, marketers might also research consumer needs, decide on target demographics for their products, select packaging styles, and cultivate brand loyalty.
As a manager, you could supervise the marketing department and stay on top of trends related to your organization’s products or services. You may also be responsible for determining pricing schemes.
3. Market Research Analyst
If your quantitative analysis skills are strong, you may want to think about becoming a market research analyst.
For this position, you’d conduct research, compile data, produce charts and graphs, and run analyses to draw meaning from the information that you’ve collected. Through your work, companies can learn about the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns and decide where to focus their efforts in the future.
4. Sales Manager
Your knowledge of consumer behavior may help you be a proficient salesperson. By tapping into people’s needs and desires, you may be able to demonstrate why customers should buy your products or sign up for your services.
Sales managers often start as sales representatives. For some industries, such as pharmaceuticals or digital equipment, you may need additional training to acquire specific technical or scientific knowledge related to your products.
5. Copywriter
Using the written word to sell goods or build a customer base is often known as copywriting. Engaging blog articles and carefully crafted email campaigns have the potential to draw consumers to a company’s website or increase familiarity with a brand.
Copywriters often work as freelancers who produce content for a number of different clients. This could be a career path to choose if you’re looking for flexibility and independence.
Marketing Degree Alternatives
Before committing to a marketing program, you may want to consider if any of these degree alternatives would be a better fit for your personal interests and goals.
- Bachelor’s in Advertising. You may get a career in advertising with a marketing degree, but an advertising specific program includes more classes related to persuading audiences, designing campaigns, and compiling a portfolio of your work.
- Bachelor’s in Public Relations. In both marketing and PR, you’d be responsible for creating and maintaining your brand’s image. Social media management is closely tied to both disciplines.
- Bachelor’s in Digital Marketing. These days, many marketing activities take place online. With a degree in digital marketing, you can specialize in leveraging mobile, web-based, and social media marketing channels.
Marketing is a popular degree that produces many graduates. Choosing a more specific major might set you apart as a job candidate and help equip you with the exact skills needed for certain jobs.
Marketing Careers & Salaries
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, management jobs in this field pay an average annual salary of $141,490, and these jobs are growing at a rate of 6% through the next decade.
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Marketing Managers | $142,170 |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | $133,460 |
| Sales Managers | $132,290 |
| Public Relations and Fundraising Managers | $118,430 |
| Management Analysts | $87,660 |
| Writers | $67,120 |
| Market Research Analysts | $65,810 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $62,810 |
| Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives | $62,070 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $54,940 |
As a marketing major, you may find that your business skills paired with your understanding of human thought and behavior provide a versatile foundation for a variety of jobs that involve leading or influencing people.
What Kind of Jobs Can You Get with a Marketing Degree?
With a marketing degree, you may develop advertising campaigns, conduct market research, or sell goods and services.
You may get started in the field as an advertising sales representative, a copywriter, a market researcher, or a salesperson. After gaining experience in your area of marketing, you might move into a management role or even provide management advice to other professionals.
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You may also use your marketing degree for a career as a social media specialist. This is actually considered a subset of the public relations field.
Is Marketing a Good Career?
Marketing is an exciting field with opportunities to influence consumers and chart the direction of organizations in regard to their products and services.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, market research analysts earn an average of $65,810 each year. Advertising sales agents make around $54,940, and public relations specialists may bring in $62,810.
Experience may help you become a manager someday. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers earn an average annual salary of $141,490. Getting a masters degree may contribute to your advancement opportunities, but it isn’t a requirement for all management positions.
Are Marketing Majors in Demand?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many jobs in the marketing field are expected to grow through the next decade, making marketing a good major for many students.
If job security is an important goal for you, you may consider taking plenty of analytics and research classes in college. Positions for market research analysts are increasing at an 18% rate. Management roles in advertising, promotions, and marketing are expected to grow by 6%. Jobs for sales managers may increase at a 4% rate.
Is a Marketing Degree Useful?
A marketing degree will help prepare you for the varied, ever-changing world of sales, advertising, and marketing. You may learn how to think creatively, conduct research, analyze statistics, motivate consumers, and communicate with coworkers and the public.
To be successful in marketing over the long haul, you may be continually learning and growing. While a degree program can lay the foundation with fundamental skills, it’s up to you to decide how you apply those skills throughout your career.
Getting Your Marketing Degree Online
Marketing depends on creativity, analytics, communication, and teamwork. If you want to develop your abilities in those essential disciplines, you may enroll in an online bachelors degree program in marketing.
After graduation, you may be ready to work in analytics, sales, advertising, or social media marketing. Eventually, you could pursue a manager position. As a manager, you may take responsibility for major decisions, oversee team members, and guide the direction of your organization.
Some marketing roles are expected to see job growth of up to 18% over the next decade (Bureau of Labor Statistics). To prepare for your spot in this exciting field, you may consider looking into accredited online bachelors degrees in marketing. After you complete your bachelors online, you may want to continue with an online masters or even an online doctorate in marketing.
