Essential Information
Marketing majors have the opportunity to develop analytical skills in consumer behavior, product merchandising, and effective campaign organization during these 4-year programs. They also learn to collect and interpret consumer information in order to make strategic decisions with new or current products.
Many programs include concentrations in such areas as sales management, marketing research, advertising, and retail marketing. Some programs ask students to complete a portfolio that showcases their work, while other programs may require that they get real world practice through a field experience internship.
Bachelor's Degrees in Marketing
While pursuing a marketing major, students take courses involving detailed analysis of marketing and sales from theoretical and practical perspectives, often including the creation of mock marketing plans. In addition to studying relevant legal and ethical issues, the most common courses are:
- Strategic sales management
- Understanding consumer behavior
- Promotion design and management
- Marketing practices and techniques
- Global marketing
- Market research and strategy
Employment Outlook and Salary Information
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that marketing managers held roughly 270,200 jobs in 2020 (www.bls.gov). The BLS estimated that marketing managers will see a 7% job growth for the years 2019 through 2029. This growth is considered to be faster than the national average. In the same 2019-2029 decade, sales managers are expected to have a 4% job growth. Marketing managers earned median annual wages of $142,170 in May 2020. The BLS also reported in 2020 that sales managers earned $132,290 as a yearly median salary.
Continuing Education Information
A common graduate degree for marketing and sales managers is a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in marketing or sales. While a bachelor's degree is often acceptable for entry-level employment, an MBA is highly regarded for professionals seeking career advancement opportunities.
A bachelor's degree in marketing teaches students different skills for selling and marketing different products and services while taking into account market trends and theory. In addition to finding a career, students can also use this degree as a foundation for an MBA education.
