Marketing
What you'll do in college
Marketing majors learn how companies understand and reach customers. Coursework includes consumer behavior, market research, digital marketing, branding, advertising, PR, sales, and analytics, alongside core business classes.
Hands-on projects are common: you might run a real social media campaign, design a brand identity, or pitch to a client. Internships at agencies, brands, or media companies are essential and often turn into first jobs.
What you'll do after college
Grads work at advertising agencies, PR firms, media companies, brands, tech companies, and nonprofits. Common roles include account executive, brand manager, social media strategist, market researcher, copywriter, and digital marketer.
The work is fast-paced and creative, but also increasingly data-driven as digital tools track every click. Pay is moderate at the entry level but can rise quickly for those who land at hot brands or break into senior roles.
Famous graduates
- Howard Schultz — Former CEO of Starbucks; B.A. in Communications from Northern Michigan University
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings by acceptance rate and institution category
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 745 | 47,630 | 39% / 61% | 3% | $71,448 | 96% |
| Marketing | 696 | 38,730 | 41% / 59% | 3% | $71,382 | 96% |
| Advertising | 57 | 2,858 | 32% / 68% | 3% | $68,995 | 96% |
| Advertising and Public Relations | 38 | 1,543 | 29% / 71% | 8% | $66,555 | 96% |
| Marketing Management | 7 | 908 | 33% / 67% | 4% | $77,480 | 96% |
| Retailing and Retail Operations | 2 | 354 | 23% / 77% | 6% | $83,766 | 98% |
| Advertising and Marketing Communications | 2 | 318 | 15% / 85% | 7% | $79,539 | 97% |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations | 5 | 293 | 52% / 48% | 1% | $95,433 | 98% |
| Selling Skills and Sales Operations | 12 | 214 | 71% / 29% | 1% | $84,489 | 94% |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 1 | 195 | 7% / 93% | 0% | $52,847 | |
| Corporate Communication | 1 | 190 | 35% / 65% | 3% | $67,353 | 92% |
| Apparel and Textile Marketing Management | 7 | 177 | 20% / 80% | 2% | $56,813 | 94% |
| Digital Marketing | 23 | 170 | 36% / 64% | 4% | $69,775 | 97% |
| Retailing | 1 | 152 | 31% / 69% | 4% | $69,220 | 91% |
| Retail Management | 9 | 144 | 20% / 80% | 7% | $78,268 | 97% |
| Professional Selling | 5 | 129 | 63% / 37% | 2% | $82,632 | 97% |
| Sales | 13 | 125 | 63% / 37% | 3% | $75,583 | 88% |
| International Marketing | 2 | 116 | 16% / 84% | 16% | $66,768 | 93% |
| Advertising-Public Relations | 1 | 114 | 16% / 84% | 2% | $67,560 | 97% |
| Business Communication | 6 | 111 | 35% / 65% | 3% | $64,658 | 96% |
| Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications | 1 | 94 | 17% / 83% | 0% | $70,834 | 95% |
| Professional Sales | 5 | 83 | 64% / 36% | 1% | $90,497 | 97% |
| Integrated Marketing Communication | 1 | 77 | 22% / 78% | 8% | $82,260 | 96% |
| Business/Corporate Communications | 7 | 75 | 57% / 43% | 4% | $76,199 | 99% |
| Specialized Merchandising, Sales, and Marketing Operations | 1 | 65 | 6% / 94% | 6% | $69,969 | 93% |
| General Merchandising, Sales, and Related Marketing Operations | 2 | 45 | 62% / 38% | 0% | $66,896 | 96% |
| Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management | 3 | 42 | 55% / 45% | 17% | $74,163 | 95% |
| Business Communications | 7 | 40 | 38% / 62% | 0% | $64,283 | 94% |
| Automotive Marketing and Management | 1 | 38 | 84% / 16% | 3% | $78,066 | 97% |
| Marketing Communications | 3 | 29 | 34% / 66% | 3% | $81,839 | 95% |
| Sales and Marketing | 3 | 28 | 61% / 39% | 0% | $68,091 | 100% |
| Merchandising Management | 1 | 26 | 15% / 85% | 4% | $60,155 | 100% |
| Modern Culture and Media | 1 | 23 | 30% / 70% | 9% | $33,351 | 95% |
| Consumer Services and Advocacy | 1 | 21 | 43% / 57% | 0% | $58,813 | 92% |
| Sales Management | 5 | 15 | 53% / 47% | 0% | $77,510 | 99% |
| Corporate and Organizational Communication | 1 | 15 | 47% / 53% | 0% | $83,134 | 96% |
| Special Products Marketing Operations | 3 | 12 | 33% / 67% | 17% | $64,189 | 94% |
| Fashion Marketing | 3 | 11 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $65,125 | |
| Marketing Operations | 1 | 10 | 40% / 60% | 10% | $62,599 | 92% |
| New Media Marketing | 1 | 10 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $61,991 | 100% |
| Creative Direction | 1 | 7 | 14% / 86% | 0% | $72,263 | 87% |
| Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations | 1 | 6 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $84,377 | |
| Marketing Research | 1 | 5 | 80% / 20% | 20% | $88,496 | |
| Digital and Social Media Marketing | 4 | 4 | 25% / 75% | 0% | $70,836 | |
| Marketing and Sales | 1 | 4 | 50% / 50% | 25% | $63,470 | |
| Applied Marketing | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $56,930 | 95% |
| Digital Business | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $71,605 | |
| Global Marketing | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $60,605 | 96% |
| Technical Sales | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $86,122 | |
| Consumer Studies | 1 | 0 | $63,177 | |||
| Retail Merchandising | 1 | 0 | $65,037 | |||
| Sales and Distribution | 1 | 0 | $86,910 | 92% | ||
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising, and Marketing | 1 | 0 | $83,562 | 97% |