BUSINESS Specialization

Marketing

Marketing graduates earn $69,303 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $49,728 and $93,152. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.

About Marketing

Marketing is a focused area of study within Business. Graduates typically earn around $69,303 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. The program is available at 1,164 colleges across the U.S., from community colleges to research universities. About 52,820 students complete this program each year, most earning a bachelor's. The curriculum blends analytical and applied coursework aimed at the workplace.


Median Earnings · 1yr
$44,812
Median Earnings · 4yr
$69,303
Colleges Offering
1,164
Graduates / Year
52,820
Avg Net Price / yr
$19,376

How Much Do Marketing Graduates Earn?

Marketing graduates earn $69,303 four years out, above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $49,728 and $93,152. Earnings typically jump significantly in the first few years. The one-year figure of $44,812 climbs to $69,303 by year four.

$44,812
1 Year After Graduation

Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.

$69,303
4-Year National Median

Above the national median for college graduates.

$66,479
4-Year Institutional Median

Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.


Earnings Range

There is a wide earnings spread across Marketing graduates. Industry and seniority explain most of the spread. Finance, consulting, and strategy roles pull the top end up; operations and administrative roles sit at the bottom.


Why This Program Pays Off Fast

Strong ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $69,303 against an estimated $77,504 four-year net cost, most graduates break even against baseline wages in under two years.

Based on outcomes from 873 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.

Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown

Of the 52,820 students who complete Marketing programs each year, the majority (88%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.

Bachelor's 88%
Master's 6%
Associate's 4%

What Can You Do With a Marketing Degree?

Marketing connects to 8 occupations in the job market. Marketing Manager leads at $166,790/yr median. Expand any card to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.

↗ +6.6% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$166,790
$123K $216K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 34,300 openings/yr 395K employed nationally
Active Learning Social Perceptiveness Reading Comprehension Active Listening Speaking
Day-to-day responsibilities

Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm's profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.

  • Identify, develop, or evaluate marketing strategy, based on knowledge of establishment objectives, market characteristics, and cost and markup factors.
  • Formulate, direct, or coordinate marketing activities or policies to promote products or services, working with advertising or promotion managers.
  • Evaluate the financial aspects of product development, such as budgets, expenditures, research and development appropriations, or return-on-investment and profit-loss projections.
↗ +4.7% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$148,270
$100K $207K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 49,000 openings/yr 637K employed nationally
Negotiation Active Listening Speaking Reading Comprehension Critical Thinking
Day-to-day responsibilities

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

  • Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
  • Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
  • Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
↘ -2.2% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$133,660
$91K $201K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 2,100 openings/yr 21K employed nationally
Active Listening Speaking Critical Thinking Social Perceptiveness Reading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities

Plan, direct, or coordinate advertising policies and programs or produce collateral materials, such as posters, contests, coupons, or giveaways, to create extra interest in the purchase of a product or service for a department, an entire organization, or on an account basis.

  • Plan and prepare advertising and promotional material to increase sales of products or services, working with customers, company officials, sales departments, and advertising agencies.
  • Inspect layouts and advertising copy, and edit scripts, audio, video, and other promotional material for adherence to specifications.
  • Confer with department heads or staff to discuss topics such as contracts, selection of advertising media, or product to be advertised.
↗ +4.2% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$125,470
$96K $170K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 3,600 openings/yr 39K employed nationally
Critical Thinking Speaking Persuasion Social Perceptiveness Active Listening
Day-to-day responsibilities

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

  • Develop strategies to encourage new or increased contributions.
  • Manage fundraising budgets.
  • Develop fundraising activity plans that maximize participation or contributions and minimize costs.
↗ +7.0% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$104,000
$73K $159K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 9,100 openings/yr 113K employed nationally
Programming Active Listening Reading Comprehension Critical Thinking Judgment and Decision Making
Day-to-day responsibilities

Design digital user interfaces or websites. Develop and test layouts, interfaces, functionality, and navigation menus to ensure compatibility and usability across browsers or devices. May use web framework applications as well as client-side code and processes. May evaluate web design following web and accessibility standards, and may analyze web use metrics and optimize websites for marketability and search engine ranking. May design and test interfaces that facilitate the human-computer interaction and maximize the usability of digital devices, websites, and software with a focus on aesthetics and design. May create graphics used in websites and manage website content and links.

  • Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
  • Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
  • Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
↗ +5.7% Zone 5: Extensive preparation
$99,080
$64K $142K 25th–75th pct.
Doctoral or professional degree 8,100 openings/yr 82K employed nationally
Speaking Instructing Reading Comprehension Active Listening Writing
Day-to-day responsibilities

Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as financial accounting, principles of marketing, and operations management.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
↗ +6.7% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$78,760
$58K $108K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 87,200 openings/yr 900K employed nationally
Reading Comprehension Writing Critical Thinking Complex Problem Solving Active Listening
Day-to-day responsibilities

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

  • Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text.
  • Collect and analyze data on customer demographics, preferences, needs, and buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand.
  • Conduct research on consumer opinions and marketing strategies, collaborating with marketing professionals, statisticians, pollsters, and other professionals.
↗ +4.3% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$72,550
$57K $92K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 10,200 openings/yr 111K employed nationally
Speaking Persuasion Reading Comprehension Active Listening Writing
Day-to-day responsibilities

Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.

  • Identify and build relationships with potential donors.
  • Secure commitments of participation or donation from individuals or corporate donors.
  • Write and send letters of thanks to donors.

Top Colleges for Marketing

The 20 colleges below are ranked by how many Marketing students they graduate each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.

# College Graduates Acceptance Net Price/yr Earnings 10yr
1 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL · Public 676 76.7% $22,420 $59,221
2 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL · Public 649 24.2% $11,297 $61,675
3 Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH · Nonprofit 616 99.5% $36,708 $50,318
4 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH · Public 566 85.3% $25,648 $54,810
5 Florida International University Miami, FL · Public 563 54.7% $9,288 $60,249
6 Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH · Public 478 60.6% $17,339 $60,409
7 University of South Florida Tampa, FL · Public 435 43.2% $9,812 $57,743
8 Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ · Public 409 89.9% $14,967 $62,668
9 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY · Public 407 92.9% $18,851 $59,025
10 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX · Public 406 72.7% $19,070 $62,454
11 University of Georgia Athens, GA · Public 398 37.7% $13,936 $68,726
12 Clemson University Clemson, SC · Public 383 38.3% $22,253 $71,513
13 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR · Public 368 74.3% $18,209 $58,191
14 University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC · Public 367 60.2% $22,811 $62,177
15 Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA · Public 363 60.6% $32,875 $63,435
16 University of Houston Houston, TX · Public 353 73.9% $14,276 $62,377
17 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK · Public 347 76.6% $15,300 $63,126
18 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA · Public 347 83.6% $22,531 $64,762
19 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK · Public 338 75% $17,447 $57,413
20 Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ · Nonprofit 336 78.9% $22,472 $42,186

Ranked by Marketing graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Marketing program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.

Marketing Degree: Pros & Cons

Strong earnings and positive career growth make Marketing a solid option. The 4 strengths and 2 trade-offs below are data-sourced from College Scorecard, BLS, and IPEDS.

PROS
  • Above-average earnings Four-year median of $69,303 puts graduates ahead of many humanities and social science programs.
  • Strong salary growth Median earnings climb from $44,812 at graduation to $69,303 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
  • Positive job outlook Related careers project up to +7.0% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
  • Strong hiring volume Related occupations generate more than 203,600 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
  • Advanced degree often expected Top roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
  • Declining roles in some areas 1 related career show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.

Marketing Degree: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Marketing graduates earn?
Marketing graduates earn a national median of $69,303 four years after completing their program. The middle 50% of earners fall between $49,728 and $93,152. Where you land typically depends on employer, role, and location.
What is the starting salary for a Marketing degree?
One year after graduation, Marketing degree holders earn a median of $44,812. That climbs to $69,303 four years out. The biggest salary jumps typically come once you move past entry-level roles.
What jobs can you get with a Marketing degree?
Marketing degree holders pursue careers including Marketing Manager, which pays a median of $166,790/yr. Scroll down to the Career Paths section to see wages and job growth projections for every related occupation.
How long does a Marketing program take?
A Marketing bachelor's degree typically takes four years of full-time study. Community colleges offer associate programs in two years for students who want a faster path into the workforce.
How many colleges offer Marketing?
1,164 colleges and universities in the United States offer Marketing programs. Options range from community colleges with certificates and associate degrees to research universities with doctoral tracks.
Is a Marketing degree worth it?
With a median 4-year salary of $69,303 and an average net price of roughly $19,376/yr, a Marketing degree can pay off well, especially at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific programs before deciding.
What is the difference between Marketing and Business?
Marketing is a focused concentration within the broader Business field. The Business major covers the full discipline; this program narrows the curriculum to Marketing-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. If you already know this is the direction you want, the specialized program gives you a more targeted credential.
What skills do employers look for in Marketing graduates?
Employers hiring Marketing graduates consistently prioritize financial analysis, communication, project management, and strategic thinking. Internship experience and proficiency in tools like Excel, SQL, or business software tend to set candidates apart.
Is graduate school worth it for Marketing graduates?
An MBA or specialized master's can boost earnings and open paths to management and strategy roles. ROI is strongest at selective programs with strong recruiting pipelines. The right answer depends on your career goals, program cost, and whether your target role explicitly rewards an advanced credential.
What is the job outlook for Marketing graduates?
The job outlook for Marketing graduates is moderate overall. Related occupations project an average of +4.6% job growth over the next 10 years. Web and Digital Interface Designers is among the strongest-growth roles at +7.0%. Growth varies by role and location, so check the Career Paths section for projections on each specific occupation.

Continue Exploring

Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.