Is Marketing a Good Major?

Key takeaways

Marketing is a versatile major introducing you to concepts in business, finance, advertising, communications, and public relations.

• Marketing degree graduates earn an average salary between $71,000 and $75,000 [1,2,3].

• Different marketing degree programs include business marketing, advertising, and public relations.

• You can find various jobs, such as marketing assistant, digital marketing strategist, or sales representative, with a marketing degree.

Learn more about this popular major and the many opportunities it can lead to.

What can you do with a marketing degree?

One of the reasons marketing is such a versatile career is that it’s not limited to any specific industry. Many types of companies need marketers to help potential customers develop an interest in their branding, products, and services. Beyond that, marketers work in multiple sectors: brand marketing, content marketing, product marketing, market research, and digital marketing, to name a few. Those two factors, industry and marketing sector, may mean more job openings and opportunities for advancement. 

Some common entry-level careers for marketing majors include:

• Marketing assistant

• Communications assistant 

• Digital marketing strategist 

• Social media marketer 

• Junior business analyst 

• Sales representative 

• Field marketing coordinator

A marketing major may be a good fit for you if you’re looking for a course of study that blends creativity and strategy and helps you prepare to join an in-demand industry with several pathways. Unlike careers that come and go, marketing isn’t limited in scope. Companies worldwide need savvy marketers who can help develop strategies, campaigns, and messaging to help customers see the value of their brands and products.

How much do marketing majors make? Marketing major salary figures 

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in marketing earn an average annual salary of $71,000 to $75,000 [1,2,3]. Marketing is a high-growth career with opportunities for advancement. Mid-level careers in marketing, such as a marketing manager, in the US pay an average base pay of $82,000 [4], while those who advance to the director level make an average base pay of $100,000 [5]. 

Read more: What Is a Bachelor’s Degree? Types, Cost, and Application Requirements

What do marketing majors do? 3 tracks to consider

Each college or university handles marketing majors differently. Some house the major in their business, journalism, or communications departments, while others offer a marketing-specific option. The one you decide to pursue ultimately depends on your interests and career goals. 

1. Bachelor’s in marketing

A Bachelor of Science in Marketing touches on a little of everything related to marketing: business, finance, advertising, sales, and communications.

This marketing major could be a good fit if you’re interested in gaining a foundational understanding of all subjects related to marketing, as well as learning marketing-specific topics to help you advance in newer areas, such as digital marketing and social media marketing. 

Common courses:

• Markets and financial management

• Marketing strategy

• Marketing management

• Business writing

• Sales management

2. Business marketing degree 

Given the close relationship between marketing and business, some institutions offer marketing as a concentration, folding it into the larger course of study for a Bachelor of Science in Business (BSB).

This marketing major could be a good fit if you’re interested in developing a foundational knowledge of business strategy while rounding that out with marketing courses focused on customer behavior, markets, advertising, and more.

Common courses:

• Consumer behavior

• Global marketing

• Market research 

• Digital communication

• Business-to-business (B2B) marketing

3. Bachelor’s in advertising and public relations

Another popular marketing major is advertising and public relations, which delves into introductory marketing subjects while emphasizing communications, public relations, and media strategy.

This marketing major could be a good fit if you’re interested in learning and applying key marketing strategies to a company's communications, public relations, and media (both traditional and social) needs.

Common courses:

• Public relations writing

• Digital advertising

• Creative strategy

• Media planning

• Crisis communications

Is marketing a good major for you? Choosing your track

You’ll notice a lot of overlap in the curriculum among marketing majors. Whatever track you choose, you can build a foundational skill set to pursue various marketing careers. Before you choose a program, consider what you want to learn and what types of work you might want to do after graduating. From there, look at each program's curriculum requirements and see if you'll take classes in the subjects that best fit your needs.

If you have a specific career path in mind, it’s a good idea to look at job postings to see if they specify a subject or field. Many entry-level jobs typically require a bachelor’s degree as well as one to three years of marketing-related experience (business, advertising, communications) rather than a specific major.

Ultimately, the best marketing major for you will be the one that feeds into your interests while challenging you to grow in new ways.

Marketing major skills 

Besides the marketing-specific subject matter you’ll learn as a marketing major, you can also develop several transferable skills to use throughout your career.

Among the many transferable skills that many marketing majors learn are:

• Communication

• Analytical thinking

• Planning 

• Problem-solving

• Leadership (depending on the courses taken)

Whether you pursue a career in marketing or another field, transferable skills are worth highlighting on your resume. More than simply listing what you know, try to show ways you’ve put them into action—and the results you’ve achieved. Quantifying any successes you’ve had, either in a course, an internship, as a volunteer, or as a part-time employee, can help recruiters and hiring managers understand the impact you’d potentially make at their company. 

Besides tangible skills, marketing majors also learn how to generate interest and enthusiasm for a company, knowledge they can apply to themselves when searching for a new role.

Make the most of your marketing major

No matter which track you choose, there are ways to make the most of your marketing major beyond coursework and skills development.

Internships

Many colleges and universities offer college credit in exchange for an internship. If you apply and are accepted to a marketing internship, you can learn more about real-time strategies, network, and gain practical skills that may help you find an entry-level role. 

Student clubs

Check whether your department offers a marketing or marketing-related club. It may be a way to stay on top of marketing trends that courses can't cover. Plus, holding a leadership role, such as marketing chair, can be a useful experience to add to your resume.

Can’t find a marketing club at your college or university? Consider starting your own. The leadership skills you form as a result can positively impact your undergraduate studies and beyond.

Explore free marketing resources for your career

Discover fresh insights into your career and learn about industry trends by subscribing to Career Chat, our LinkedIn newsletter. Then, check out the following resources to learn more about a career in marketing:

• Learn your vocabulary: Digital Marketing Terms Every Marketer Should Know

• Hear from a pro: Marketing Career Path: How I Became a Brand Marketing Manager at Coursera

• Explore marketing strategies: Guerrilla Marketing: Methods, Madness, and Monkey Business 

Learn more about flexible online academic programs available through Coursera’s esteemed college and university partners.