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 vs. selectivity rank
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 738 | 46,095 | 42% / 58% | 4% | $69,206 |
| Marketing | 693 | 37,839 | 43% / 57% | 3% | $68,982 |
| Advertising | 57 | 2,600 | 36% / 63% | 4% | $65,340 |
| Advertising and Public Relations | 41 | 1,439 | 27% / 73% | 7% | $64,768 |
| Marketing Management | 6 | 806 | 41% / 59% | 5% | $87,128 |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations | 5 | 315 | 42% / 58% | 1% | $93,116 |
| Advertising and Marketing Communications | 2 | 304 | 13% / 87% | 3% | $66,894 |
| Retailing and Retail Operations | 2 | 297 | 28% / 72% | 5% | $78,868 |
| Apparel and Textile Marketing Management | 7 | 213 | 20% / 80% | 3% | $49,381 |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 1 | 206 | 6% / 94% | 0% | |
| Selling Skills and Sales Operations | 8 | 194 | 70% / 30% | 2% | $85,738 |
| Corporate Communication | 1 | 189 | 46% / 54% | 5% | $62,662 |
| Digital Marketing | 17 | 178 | 40% / 60% | 3% | $68,090 |
| Retailing | 1 | 147 | 35% / 65% | 8% | $60,116 |
| Advertising-Public Relations | 1 | 134 | 16% / 84% | 1% | $56,272 |
| Retail Management | 8 | 133 | 23% / 77% | 2% | $78,735 |
| Professional Selling | 5 | 123 | 67% / 33% | 2% | $85,430 |
| Sales | 13 | 118 | 68% / 32% | 5% | $84,544 |
| Professional Sales | 5 | 103 | 74% / 26% | 7% | $84,423 |
| International Marketing | 2 | 93 | 25% / 75% | 16% | $68,920 |
| Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications | 1 | 87 | 26% / 74% | 2% | |
| Business/Corporate Communications | 9 | 73 | 51% / 49% | 3% | $67,018 |
| Specialized Merchandising, Sales, and Marketing Operations | 1 | 67 | 9% / 91% | 0% | $56,863 |
| Integrated Marketing Communication | 1 | 51 | 16% / 84% | 6% | $66,798 |
| Business Communications | 8 | 42 | 40% / 60% | 5% | $60,795 |
| Modern Culture and Media | 1 | 41 | 39% / 61% | 5% | |
| Automotive Marketing and Management | 1 | 35 | 74% / 26% | 0% | $84,256 |
| Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management | 3 | 33 | 33% / 67% | 6% | $104,760 |
| Sales Management | 4 | 31 | 48% / 52% | 3% | |
| General Merchandising, Sales, and Related Marketing Operations | 1 | 30 | 63% / 37% | 3% | |
| Sales and Marketing | 3 | 27 | 56% / 44% | 0% | |
| Marketing Communications | 2 | 25 | 48% / 52% | 4% | $74,226 |
| Consumer Services and Advocacy | 1 | 22 | 27% / 73% | 0% | $51,672 |
| Merchandising Management | 1 | 21 | 14% / 86% | 29% | $61,656 |
| Fashion Marketing | 3 | 19 | 21% / 79% | 0% | |
| Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management | 1 | 15 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $75,063 |
| Special Products Marketing Operations | 3 | 13 | 8% / 92% | 0% | $57,663 |
| Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations | 1 | 5 | 20% / 80% | 0% | |
| Marketing Research | 2 | 4 | 75% / 25% | 0% | |
| Marketing Operations | 1 | 4 | 75% / 25% | 50% | |
| Marketing and Sales | 1 | 4 | 50% / 50% | 0% | |
| New Media Marketing | 1 | 4 | 75% / 25% | 0% | $58,798 |
| Applied Marketing | 1 | 3 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $67,167 |
| Corporate and Organizational Communication | 1 | 2 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $61,984 |
| Digital Business | 1 | 2 | 50% / 50% | 0% | |
| Consumer Studies | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Global Marketing | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $63,473 |
| Retail Merchandising | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Technical Sales | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% |