Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Is a marketing degree worth it? If you’re wondering whether marketing is a good major, it’s important to understand that marketing is an essential component of every business. Companies rely on marketing strategies as they develop marketing plans, determine pricing for their products, implement advertising campaigns and gather analytical information to evaluate their sales and marketing efforts.
If you choose a marketing major as you plan your career path, you open yourself up to a variety of excellent career options that allow you to help businesses grow and increase their sales.
Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Education
Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics, education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.
- 6,290 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
- 52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
- All content is fact-checked and updated on an annual basis
- Rankings undergo five rounds of fact-checking
- Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded
What Can You Do With a Marketing Major?
Students who major in marketing learn how to evaluate consumers’ needs and problems and provide products and services to meet those needs.
Marketing majors can choose from many career paths in areas like sales, customer relations, brand management, advertising, market research and similar fields. All successful businesses use marketing strategies, so marketing careers exist in all types of industries.
What you can do with a marketing major depends on the exact degree and career path you choose. This article discusses degree types and job opportunities for marketing majors.
Degree Options for Marketing Majors
Each school sets its own credit and coursework requirements, so these details may vary depending on which university you choose. As you research programs, make sure to check on each prospective school’s requirements. The following section details available degrees for marketing majors.
Bachelor’s in Marketing
A Bachelor of Science in marketing builds foundational knowledge and skills that graduates can use in marketing careers or related fields.
In this degree program, you learn how to understand consumer behavior, conduct market research, develop brand management strategies, improve communication skills, create marketing plans and develop digital marketing strategies.
A bachelor’s degree in marketing takes four years to complete if you study full time. Bachelor’s degrees in marketing typically require around 120 credits and include general education, business core and major courses. Below are courses you may take as you earn a bachelor’s in marketing.
- Advertising and promotion
- Digital marketing
- Strategic brand management
- Consumer behavior
- Marketing research
- Principles of management
- Business and economics statistics
- Business law and ethics
- Macroeconomics
- Microeconomics
You may also have the option to choose a concentration that corresponds to your own interests, such as:
- Digital marketing
- Graphic design
- Social media marketing
- Public relations
Bachelor’s in Business With a Concentration in Marketing
Rather than a bachelor’s in marketing, some schools offer a business bachelor’s with a concentration in marketing. This program features more business-focused major courses, plus marketing concentration courses. This degree is a good option if you plan to manage or own a business because it provides both business and marketing knowledge.
As with any other bachelor’s degree, business majors need to complete about 120 credits of coursework. It should take about four years to complete this degree if you study full time.
Since this is a business degree with a marketing concentration rather than a marketing degree, coursework combines business and marketing courses. Business courses you might take in this degree program include:
- Accounting
- Macroeconomics
- Principles of management
- Business finance
- Business law
- Information systems
- International business
- Business logistics management
- Business statistics
Business majors who concentrate in marketing may take more general marketing courses in subjects such as advertising, consumer analysis and behavior, sales management and marketing management.
Master’s in Marketing
A master’s degree in marketing offers a deep dive into complex marketing subjects. It focuses on understanding consumer behavior, marketing strategies, brand development and international marketing.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in marketing and want to build on your existing knowledge, a master’s in marketing is the natural next step. Completing a master’s in marketing should take one to two years of full-time study to complete. These programs typically require around 30 credits of coursework.
Below are some common courses for a master’s degree in marketing.
- Marketing fundamentals
- Statistics for marketing
- Marketing communications, advertising and social media
- Pricing strategies
- Marketing plan development
- Consumer behavior
- Brand management
- Digital marketing strategy
- Quantitative analysis
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in Marketing
An M.B.A. in marketing provides a business-focused education that features marketing coursework. M.B.A. in marketing students develop skills and build knowledge in leadership, operational organization and business management. They also learn the foundations of marketing.
Earning an M.B.A. in marketing is a great option if you already have several years of work experience and want to advance your career. An M.B.A. in marketing teaches students how to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world settings in the business world and understand marketing principles that affect businesses.
In most cases, it takes about two years to earn an M.B.A. in marketing, but some accelerated programs allow learners to complete their coursework in as little as one year. In addition to in-person programs, some universities offer full-time and part-time online programs. Others offer degrees that combine in-person and distance learning, so timelines vary based on the option you choose.
M.B.A. in marketing programs typically require about 30 credits of coursework, which includes business-related courses and marketing courses. Typical courses include:
- Foundations of marketing
- Accounting and financial analysis
- Economics
- Marketing strategy
- Information systems
- Consumer behavior and research
- Business ethics
- Market research methods
- Social media in business
- Marketing analytics
Marketing Careers and Job Growth
We sourced the below salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Payscale.
Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers
Median Annual Salary: $138,730
Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +6%
Job Description: Advertising, promotions and marketing managers promote their organizations, boost sales, generate media interest, implement marketing campaigns, determine product pricing and analyze market research data.
Market Research Analyst
Median Annual Salary: $68,230
Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +13%
Job Description: Market research analysts gather and analyze data about consumer preferences and buying behavior to determine the types of products or services consumers want and what they are willing to pay for them.
Sales Manager
Median Annual Salary: $130,600
Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +4%
Job Description: Sales managers oversee sales teams, set goals, analyze data, develop projections and create strategies for improving sales performance.
Brand Manager
Average Annual Salary: Around $78,000
Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +6% (advertising, promotions and marketing managers)
Job Description: Brand managers promote and increase public exposure for specific brands within their organizations. This work may include developing branding strategies, publicizing new trademarks and conducting market research on consumers’ perceptions of brands.
Public Relations Specialist
Median Annual Salary: $67,440
Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +6%
Job Description: Public relations specialists develop strategies to promote a positive public image for organizations, individuals or groups. Typical responsibilities include writing press releases, acting as a liaison with the media, writing speeches and evaluating advertising campaigns.
Public Relations Manager
Median Annual Salary: $129,430
Projected Job Growth (2022-2032): +6%
Job Description: Public relations managers develop and implement plans to enhance the public image of their organizations, clients or groups. This may include directing activities to promote corporate identity, determining target audiences and how to reach them effectively, communicating with the public and stakeholders, writing press releases and developing marketing campaigns.
