If you’re in a hurry to get your marketing career started, you might wonder if the time it takes to get a marketing degree is right for you. A marketing degree will teach you all about getting people interested in a service or product and open you to new exciting careers in the field. But which degree is the best, and what’s the average time to complete?
The time depends on the kind of degree and the mode of learning. You can choose to pursue online learning options that offer flexibility or opt for efficient classroom instruction. You can also get a digital marketing degree or other popular specializations that suit your interests. To help you make the right choice, this article will tell you all you need to know about the different degrees in marketing, what to expect, and career paths for graduates.
What Kinds of Degrees Are There and How Long Does It Take to Get a Marketing Degree?
You can earn a marketing degree at every level of higher education. Here are the 5 most common marketing degree options.
1. Associate marketing degree
Average time to complete: 2 years
This is an undergraduate-level degree that introduces students to the foundational theories and marketing principles. It also teaches transferable skills you need to apply for entry-level marketing jobs or transfer to bachelor’s programs. The subjects you can expect to cover include economics, business communication, customer behavior, and financial accounting. This degree is a good choice for students who have just finished high school and are looking for a short and cheap course in the field.
2. Bachelor’s degree in marketing
Average time to complete: 4 years
A bachelor’s degree in marketing is the right choice for someone looking to pursue a career in marketing. It offers a broad base of knowledge and experience in the field. Whether you do the marketing degree online or in a classroom, the main concepts you’ll learn include pricing strategies, competitor research, and consumer behavior. The internships incorporated in the program help you gain real-life experience and strengthen your marketing skills.
3. Master’s degree in marketing
Average time to complete: 2 years
If you want more advanced study in marketing or a career change, this master’s degree may be what you’re looking for. Advanced training can help you further your career in marketing and make it easy to get a job in a higher position. The graduate program focuses mainly on strengthening analytical, technical, and research skills that can help students advance their careers. To pursue the degree, you must have a bachelor’s degree, while other schools require prior practical experience.
4. MBA with a focus on marketing
Average time to complete: 2 years
This degree is one of the most coveted and highly desirable marketing degrees. The degree prepares graduates for supervisory positions in marketing agencies and departments. Unlike the master’s in marketing, which focuses on marketing research and management, the MBA focuses on nurturing leadership and general business skills. Still, both can earn you a high-paying job.
5. Doctoral degree in marketing
Average time to complete: 4-5 years
This is the highest degree you can earn in the field. The degree is suitable for people looking to teach marketing or work as a researcher. Graduates can specialize in areas such as pricing strategy, consumer psychology, or business marketing research. However, it’s a hard degree to complete since you must pass comprehensive exams and write an original research project to graduate.
Whatever degree you choose, you’ll be challenged by loads of assignments, research projects, and looming deadlines. Completing marketing assignments requires deep knowledge, intuition, and creative thinking to pass. When you need homework writing assistance, expert help is available online from paper writing services. The writing services hire marketing experts with the knowledge and experience required to craft a high-quality and custom paper for you before the deadline. CustomWritings, for example, is an all-in-one custom essay writing service with 18+ years of experience in the market. They deal with 80+ disciplines at all academic levels and find the best-matching writer for every student.
Is Getting a Marketing Degree a Waste of Money?
Some people argue that you can get into marketing without a marketing degree because it’s a skill that’s inherently understood or you can study it on the job. Others relate success in marketing to your ability to understand what the customer wants and not because of a marketing degree. While all these claims are true to some extent, a marketing degree is critical for any marketer since it will give you the tools that will guide you to understand what drives a customer to make a purchase.
If you ask, is a marketing degree worth it? I’d say absolutely yes. A school setting allows you to interact with mentors and pursue internships in which you get helpful feedback and support that you will not get in a job setting. Also, many employers these days prefer to hire graduates, so a degree makes you a desirable candidate in a pool of applicants.
The Type of Jobs You Can Get with a Marketing Degree
A degree in marketing prepares you for the best jobs in marketing, sales, public relations, and advertising. There are many opportunities that graduates can explore in marketing and beyond. The functions depend on the area of focus. Check out some career options for professionals with a degree in marketing.
- Market research analyst
- Advertising, promotions, and marketing manager
- Public relations and fundraising manager
- Digital marketing manager
- Marketing assistant
- Social media manager
- Marketing specialist
- Search engine optimization specialist
- Sales manager
- Sales engineer
- Top executive
The Salary to Expect with a Marketing Degree
The average salary for graduates with an undergraduate degree in marketing is about $ 66,000. If you have an MBA or Masters in marketing, the salary scale jumps up to about $100,000. The jobs you can get with a marketing degree and the salary vary depending on the type of degree, the company, the state you live in, and your working experience.
Still, most marketing degree holders work full-time and often more than 40 hours a week. So the expected salary is only one of the many things that should make you choose to do a degree in marketing. Other things to consider before getting a marketing degree are a genuine interest in the field, the ability to collaborate with other creative people, and the chance for lifelong learning.
Get the Most Out of Your Marketing Degree!
Ensure the degree you choose has subjects designed to help you meet current and future demands in the workplace. In a rapidly evolving business environment, you’ll need the right expertise to effectively manage and execute marketing campaigns. Also, set aside time to research all the requirements for applying to the marketing degree program of your choice.
