I definitely asked that question when switching my major for the third time. (Long story…) Unfortunately, 15 minutes of googling “benefits of a marketing degree” gave me such a plethora of information—most of it conflicting—that it was hard to know for sure what to do.
I had been dabbling in marketing with a couple small businesses, wondering if I really needed the formal training found in a major or if I could just figure it out myself. To some extent, I probably could have done the latter.
But, as I researched marketing career paths, I realized there are some benefits to earning a marketing degree—namely, a foot in the door (and opportunities for advancement). So I decided to change my major to marketing.
After graduating, I got an entry-level job in the Marketing department here at Pearson, where I’ve been able to put to use what I learned during my degree, what I taught myself on my own and the new knowledge I’m getting from hands-on experience every day.
So as someone who both taught myself marketing and got the formal education, I know deciding whether to get a degree or self-teach feels like a huge, scary, life-defining choice with no going back. But that’s not true.
Is a MARKETING DEGREE worth it?
Is Marketing a Good Major?
Marketing is a good major because it’s extremely versatile and may lead to a variety of high paying, in-demand careers, with great job satisfaction and opportunities for on-going education. Marketing majors may pull in $50k to $208k a year.
Here’s a breakdown of the most important factors to consider:
| What to Consider | Questions to Ask | How Marketing Measures Up |
| Salary | Will I make enough to support my lifestyle and pay my bills? | You may earn great money in this field! Several professions earn well over $100,000 per year! |
| Career Prospects | Can I see myself doing the jobs this major leads to? | Marketing is one of the most versatile majors, allowing grads to go into almost any field. Ultimately, though, only you can determine whether it’s a good fit for your personality. |
| Industry Growth | Is this an industry that is growing or dying? Am I likely to find employment when I graduate? | Employment for Marketing graduates is growing faster than average. |
| Job Satisfaction | Are people in this field generally satisfied with their job? | Studies show that professionals in the Marketing field are very satisfied. |
| Opportunities for continued education | Can I further my education later on? Will it be a worthwhile investment? | Marketing professionals will likely need to continue their education to keep up with changes in technology, either through advanced degrees or individual courses. |
If you’re in a hurry to get your bachelor’s in marketing, you may also find our articles discussing accelerated online bachelor’s programs and accelerated marketing degrees useful.
Marketing Major Guide Table of Contents
Every business, no matter the sector and size, depends on marketing to reach its target customers and gain growth and success. Marketing uses the four Ps—product, price, place, and promotion. Popularized by Neil Borden in the 1950s, the four Ps is a marketing mix that makes up what a business needs to market a service or product (Twin, 2020).
Product is what a business offers to its consumers. It must fill in an absence in the industry or satisfy consumer demand. Marketers must understand what a product is, its edge over competitors, if it is a good match with other products, and whether substitutes for it exist to come up with the right campaign.
Price answers the question “How much is the product?” Businesses consider the unit cost price, marketing expenses, and distribution costs to establish a price. They also consider the prices of competitor products and whether the planned price is logical for the consumers.
Place deals with product supply. Crucial points include whether the company will sell the product through a physical store, online, or both. Then, the kind of product placement will vary depending on the place of product supply.
Promotion is the coordinated marketing communications campaign. The fourth P includes activities like advertising, selling, sales promotions, and more. It depends on what phase the product is in. Marketers know that customers connect price and distribution with product quality, and they consider this when planning a strategy.
What a Marketing Major Is All About
Most marketing programs center around the basic notions associated with the industry. Their focus will vary from public relations (PR), consumer research, and any marketing-related job one may find after graduating. These studies will provide important information and a strong foundation for post-graduation jobs (Beener, 2019).
Marketing majors are taking courses in marketing principles, communication, economics, finance, and management classes. Most marketing courses also require students to take general programs in English and math and electives, such as goals of psychology, introduction to computers, and other business courses. Public speaking, business writing, ecommerce marketing principles, graphic design, sales, logistics, international marketing, and other computer programs supplement marketing major requirements as well. These programs teach students to choose the best target customers to whom to sell a product, how and when to attract a certain market, how much is the service or product, and ways to handle business relationships (Best Marketing Degrees, n.d.).
Marketing course titles vary from school to school. Nevertheless, they carry the same information students must learn to succeed. These courses are:
Marketing majors are expected to only choose between sales and advertising jobs. With the advancement in technology, the field has now broadened extremely. Some marketing major jobs are account executive, brand manager, copywriter, digital media director, event planner, market research analyst, production manager, PR representative, promotions coordinator, sales manager, search engine optimization (SEO) manager, and social media coordinator.
FAQ
Is majoring in marketing worth it?
Is marketing a hard major?
Do marketing majors make good money?
Is marketing a pointless major?