The marketing field is growing fast, with the number of jobs expected to grow 9% through 2026 (compared with the U.S. average of 7% for all other jobs). If you’re interested in marketing, or already work in a marketing position, you know that it’s important to stay on top of your game, so that you can advance as the field continues to grow. One of the best ways to step it up and get noticed is by earning your MBA in marketing.
While a traditional MBA requires you to spend hours in the classroom, an online marketing MBA is done at your own pace, on your own time. Many MBA students decide to further their education in order to achieve a promotion, or simply become a more attractive candidate for jobs in their field. An online program understands the need for professionals to learn skills and strategies that they can put into use at work immediately, instead of years down the line. Our online marketing MBA program teaches students best practices and current trends, allowing you to use the knowledge you already have in conjunction with the new skills you’re learning.
There are different options for students who are interested in graduate-level marketing education, and choosing an MBA program is a way to make your resume stand out to potential employers. High-level executives know that MBA students have training in a variety of business topics, no matter their specialty. MBA graduates are trained in effective leadership techniques, and they know how to get a team to produce results. It’s also widely known that achieving a MBA degree is no easy feat. Simply having the letters after your name makes it clear that you’re a hard worker who knows how to push yourself.
While some people who want an MBA in marketing have an undergraduate degree in marketing, this is not true for all marketing MBA students. Some MBA students have undergraduate degrees in related fields, such as business or public relations. Others may have an undergraduate degree in a seemingly unrelated field, such as psychology, IT, or sociology. No matter your educational background, your unique experience will ensure that you have plenty to offer to your MBA classroom, whether it be in a traditional brick-and-mortar building or online.
When you have your MBA in marketing, there are a variety of different career paths to choose from. It’s important to consider how high of a stress level you’re comfortable with at your job, how much room you’d like for advancement, and what type of organization you’d like to work for.
Salary Outlook and Career Paths
Let’s talk about different career paths and median salaries for jobs that require an MBA in marketing.
Marketing Manager
Average Salary: $64,000
A marketing manager works with a company to create marketing and sales campaigns to drive progress towards goals. The day-to-day tasks of a marketing manager can vary greatly depending on the type of project and the type of company. A marketing manager for a clothing company may spend many days working with photographers and stylists to capture the right look for an advertising campaign. A marketing manager for a nonprofit organization may spend their days working with event coordinators and planners to create a strategy to market fundraising events.
In addition to spearheading marketing projects, marketing managers are also responsible for analyzing the data of marketing campaigns, and making adjustments where necessary.
Vice President of Marketing
Average Salary: $144,234
A vice president of marketing is responsible for overseeing all marketing-related activities within a company. A VP of marketing typically has a very large team for which they are responsible. In addition to upper-management responsibilities, a VP of marketing is responsible for working to increase market-shares for the services or goods that his or her company sells.
A VP of marketing is typically the last one to sign off on advertising, branding, logo, and slogan decisions. It’s key for marketing VPs to have their thumb on the pulse of the latest trends in branding and advertising. They are also responsible for conducting market research to find out more about the needs of their target audience.
Product Marketing Manager
Average Salary: $87,000
Product marketing managers are the in-house experts on the goods and services that a company sells. These managers are key pieces of the puzzle when it comes to putting together successful marketing and advertising campaigns.
Product marketing managers typically only have a few products for which they are the expert. They usually have a small team they work with, and together, they suggest improvements or changes that can be made to products in order to boost sales. This means that they often work closely with their organization’s research and development team. They also have a hand in determining pricing for various goods and services, based on their analysis of sales and market research.
Marketing Coordinator
Average Salary: $43,000
Marketing coordinators make things happen for the marketing teams at their companies. They work with the team to develop ideas in order to make these ideas a reality. Marketing coordinators are often responsible for piecing together presentations, as well as for working on social media, print, television, and other advertising campaigns.
Marketing coordinators often work with the marketing team to brainstorm ideas, and then come up with ways to make their ideas realities. Many higher-level marketing executives began their careers as marketing coordinators.
Chief Marketing Officer
Average Salary: $170,000
The chief marketing officer of a company is responsible for overseeing all pieces of a company’s marketing campaigns. In this position, it’s key to be able to think ahead and anticipate the needs of the company’s target audience. Additionally, excellent leadership skills are required in this position. It’s necessary to be able to express ideas in a way that makes employees of the company get excited about what’s being sold; this excitement is ultimately what keeps the rest of the company on board with the marketing plan.
A chief marketing officer also must analyze data generated by the company’s marketing plans, and determine what’s working and what needs to be improved. This can mean meeting with smaller subsets of the marketing team in order to brainstorm ways to change campaigns, so that they continue to drive sales.
Marketing MBA Degree Curriculum Details
An online MBA in marketing is a popular choice among busy professionals who are ready to set themselves up for career advancement, but who are deeply entrenched in their work lives and cannot find the time to take traditional classes. When you take an online MBA course, you’re learning valuable skills that your manager or boss will see being put into place immediately. This means that you could be considered for promotions before your marketing MBA is even complete.
As with any MBA, your marketing MBA will include many traditional business and leadership classes, such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, finance, ethics, leadership, and budget analysis. While these classes may seem like they aren’t directly related to marketing, they’re an important part of a well-rounded business education. Being well-versed in a variety of business subjects will serve you well as you climb the corporate ladder and find yourself conversing with high-level executives.
Business strategy is one of the most important classes that you’ll take as you’re earning your marketing MBA. It’s key that you understand the “why” behind your organization’s goals. This will allow you to create successful marketing campaigns that express the true values of the company. You’ll also take courses in organizational behavior, which will help you understand the inner workings of your company. This is important for being able to lead the company in the right direction as a high-level executive.
Marketing management is a cornerstone piece of your MBA in marketing education. After you achieve your MBA, it’s likely that you’ll be put in charge of a marketing team. Leadership of a team does not come naturally to most people; it’s a skill that needs to be learned. In your marketing management class, you’ll learn effective ways to lead a team, to keep your crew motivated, and to act appropriately when team performance isn’t up to par.
In today’s social media climate, it’s important that your online marketing MBA program addresses digital marketing. More and more, companies are moving away from print, television, and radio advertising to advertise online. Understanding digital advertising will give you a leg up on people who have not kept up with the pulse of the latest advertising trends. Like many of the skills you’ll learn in your online MBA classes, digital marketing classes will teach you many best practices and applicable tools that you’ll be able to put into place right away at work. Not only will you know how to create a digital marketing campaign, but you’ll also be able to explain to your management team the reason that these strategies work.
You’ll also take classes in marketing research. In all upper-level marketing jobs, the key to success is understanding what works, what doesn’t, and why. Conducting marketing research is the only way to learn the successes and failures of any marketing campaign. You’ll also learn how to analyze the research done by your team, and how to turn that research into user-friendly information to present at board meetings.
If you’re ready to take your marketing career to the next level, it’s time to start thinking about signing up to earn your MBA in marketing online. You’ll learn about the latest marketing trends, how to conduct rock-solid research, and how to manage a successful team. Your MBA in marketing will make you an incredibly valuable asset to your workplace.