A marketing degree is one of the most versatile degrees available. With most marketing courses teaching communication skills, analytical skills, digital marketing strategies, content development, and market research, graduates are equipped to work in a range of fields, from advertising to sales, design, public relations, and research.
In addition to the diversity of roles and opportunities, demand for marketing professionals is also growing—the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that digital marketing will experience 10% job growth between now and 2026. This means that a degree in marketing can lead to an exciting, varied, and stable career.
With so many areas of specialization available, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with options. Read on to learn about the different jobs you can get, the skills required, and the types of roles that might be a good fit for you.
Will a Marketing Degree Help You Get a Job?
Getting a degree in marketing will endow you with core skills that are versatile, transferable, and desirable in many sectors (read more about digital marketing here). Marketing majors typically study communications, consumer behavior, public relations, data analysis, social media marketing, SEO, market research, sales, content strategy, and more.
Having a strong foundation in these areas—whether learned through a degree program or a comprehensive online course—will increase your chances of getting a job in a related field.
What Can You Do With a Marketing Degree?
A marketing degree can help you get your foot in the door with a marketing team, or at an advertising or digital marketing agency.
Marketing Jobs
If you stay in marketing, the skills you’ll learn from your degree will be important in the following roles:
Marketing Assistant
A marketing assistant wears many hats. They report to the digital marketing manager and liaise between the different disciplines seen on a marketing team. In some ways, this is the ideal entry-level digital marketing role because it offers a taste of every specialization.
The following skills are required:
- Strong written and verbal communication
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- The ability to juggle multiple tasks under pressure
- Excellent time management skills
- Familiarity with social media, SEO, and email marketing
SEO Specialist
SEO specialists test, analyze, and tweak the content on websites and digital marketing campaigns so that they’re optimized for search engines.
The following skills are required:
- Understanding meta tags and title implementation
- Knowing how to analyze competitors’ web presence
- Being able to identify link-building opportunities
- Collaboration with an SEO manager and other members of a marketing team
Social Media Marketing Specialist
A social media marketing specialist runs a company’s social accounts and manages all posts and responses. They generate engaging posts, craft social media strategies, and stay on top of social media trends.
The following skills are required:
- Analytical skills and fluency in tools such as Google Analytics
- Data analysis to measure performance metrics
- Communication skills
- Organizational skills
- Creativity in preparing visual content for social platforms
Marketing Analyst
Marketing analysts use data to evaluate a company’s public-facing platforms. Once this data has been extracted and analyzed, the marketing analyst will draw conclusions from their findings, and report these findings to the digital marketing team and upper management.
The following skills are required:
- Data analysis and familiarity with tools such as Google Analytics, MixPanel, and Heap Analytics
- Attention to detail
- Communication skills
- Understanding of a target market and the digital marketing strategy required to reach it
- Ability to assess the performance of advertising campaigns
Media Assistant
Media assistants obtain and analyze media, track the brand’s performance, assist with promotional campaigns, and develop relationships with media outlets.
The following skills are required:
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Good organizational skills for preparing and monitoring media plans and media calendars
Email Marketing Specialist
An email marketer builds and manages an organization’s email list, and helps craft messaging that will persuade people to either visit a company’s website or perform a call to action.
The following skills are required:
- A/B testing marketing strategies
- Data analysis
- Strong communication for both email marketing content creation and relaying findings to stakeholders
- Basic design skills for building email templates
- Collaboration
Marketing Automation Specialist
A marketing automation specialist identifies the problems that can be solved with automation tools. Once the automation goes live, the marketing automation specialist will tweak, test, and optimize the tools to improve engagement metrics such as site traffic, open and click-through rates, lead generation, and ROI.
The following skills are required:
- In-depth knowledge of marketing automation processes
- Data analytics
- Data-driven decision making
- Database management
- Communication skills
Affiliate Marketing Specialist
Affiliate marketing specialists facilitate the development of partnerships between vendors. They research and recruit appropriate affiliates and maintain those relationships.
The following skills are required:
- Problem-solving and creativity
- Communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Data analysis
- Ability to audit the efficacy of partnerships
Non-Marketing Jobs
A marketing degree can also prepare you for careers outside of marketing too. The skills taught in most marketing degree programs and online courses are transferable, whether you’re a writer on a brand team, a researcher at an advertising agency, or a sales representative on a sales team.
Copywriter
Copywriters can work anywhere that copy needs to be written. This includes landing pages, descriptions, taglines, product names, and copy for advertisements and marketing campaigns.
The following skills are required:
- Clear written communication
- Ability to adapt to different tones and voices
- Editing and proofreading
- Collaboration
Content Writer
A content writer writes marketing copy such as blog posts, articles, press releases, product descriptions, and website pages. The goal of their content can range from driving search engine traffic to creating a public image of the organization, establishing credibility, or sharing updates.
The following skills are required:
- Clear written communication
- Editing and proofreading
- Strong research skills
- Adaptability to different styles
- Understanding content strategy
Sales Associate
Sales representatives and sales managers use many of the skills taught in marketing programs to identify prospective customers, qualify leads, pitch potential clients, and maintain relationships.
The following skills are required:
- Strong communication
- Interpersonal skills
- Market research and analysis
- Problem-solving and creativity
- Negotiation
Research Analyst
Market research analysts research, analyze, interpret, and present findings to stakeholders within an organization.
The following skills are required:
- Analytical skills
- An understanding of consumer behavior
- Data analysis
- Communication skills
- Mathematics and statistics
- Attention to detail
Business Development Representative
Business development representatives (BDRs) generate new business opportunities. Through a combination of market research, networking, and outreach, they strategically identify and contact qualified leads.
The following skills are required:
- Strong communication
- Interpersonal skills
- Market research and analysis
- Problem-solving and creativity
Account Manager
Account managers oversee the relationship between an organization and its clients. They determine a customer’s needs and devise new ways for the organization to meet those needs.
The following skills are required:
- Strong communication
- Interpersonal skills
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving and creativity
- Negotiation
PR Assistant
PR assistants work with an experienced public relations specialist to build and maintain relationships with brands and content creators. They also design and execute outreach campaigns, and assist with any PR-related marketing efforts.
The following skills are required:
- Strong communication
- Time management
- Interpersonal skills
- Organizational skills
- A finger on the pulse of trends, brands, and influencer networks
Related Read: What Does a Digital Marketer Really Do?
Marketing Career Outlook
Now that you know what kinds of jobs you can get with a marketing degree, let’s cover talent demand, salaries, and the best path to your dream job.
Are Marketers in Demand?
There is strong demand for marketers, which has resulted in ample job openings. Many hiring managers are also willing to overlook a lack of industry experience if candidates can show they have the creativity, drive, growth mindset, and interpersonal skills to learn on the job.
How Much Can Marketers Earn?
The annual salary of a marketing professional is determined by their years of experience, area of expertise, the type of industry they work in, and location. Because of these factors, the average salary of a marketing professional can range from $32,000-$330,000, according to Glassdoor.
As a general rule, the bigger the market, the higher the annual salary. For example, the average base salary for an SEO specialist in San Francisco is $85,000, according to Glassdoor, while a senior account manager makes around $109,000.
What Is a Common Marketing Career Path?
There is no set path to a career in marketing. While some professionals land jobs straight out of college, others take varied paths. This can include anything from getting their start in customer service to receiving on-the-job training on a sales team.
The marketing industry has many entry-level roles that are open to applicants who lack professional experience, and any one of those roles can be a great starting point for a rewarding career in marketing.
Do I Need a Marketing Certification To Succeed?
Marketing certifications are not needed to succeed, but they can be helpful. An online course or degree in marketing equips candidates with the marketing skills and communication skills needed to be competitive. Completion of a certificate program signals to hiring managers that you’re committed to ongoing education and self-improvement.
Marketing Degree FAQs
Still have questions about how a marketing degree can help you land your dream job? We answer some frequently asked questions below.
Is Getting a Marketing Degree Worth It?
If you are interested in digital marketing and advertising, have a knack for communication and storytelling, and are a creative problem-solver, then a marketing degree can equip you with the required skills for a career in marketing.
Not everyone has the time or resources to complete a college program, which is why comprehensive online courses and certificates have emerged.
If I Get a Marketing Degree, Do I Have To Work in Marketing?
No. In fact, many people who graduate with degrees in marketing later succeed in many different types of roles and put their skills to use across a range of industries.
Some of the non-marketing sectors that hire marketing graduates include product development, product design, content management, strategic planning, content marketing, market research, business development management, digital advertising, and product management.
Can I Work in Marketing Without a Marketing Degree?
While a marketing, advertising, or another relevant degree can equip a candidate with the necessary skills, many entry-level marketing positions do not require a marketing degree, and it is possible to have a successful career in marketing without any degree at all.
In lieu of a degree, many hiring managers look for candidates with skills that will allow them to thrive in the workplace, such as problem-solving, strategic thinking, attention to detail, a curious and analytical mindset, and strong interpersonal skills.
Since you’re here…
Want to bring your marketing skills into the 21st century? Check out our free digital marketing curriculum for new ideas and insights.