Majoring in Marketing

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Majoring in marketing can set the foundation for you to excel in various lucrative careers. Marketing involves translating the value of a product or service to the customer. Most industries require some form of marketing, so there are endless options to choose from when you study this field. This article will discuss many aspects of a sales and marketing degree and the roles you can expect to fill after receiving one.

Should You Major in Marketing?

This question is prevalent among people considering what career they want to pursue after college. Marketing is a crucial part of every business because, without marketing, there would be no clients.

Most marketing programs cover various digital marketing, traditional marketing, and even business administration skills. They prepare you to pitch products and services to clients to increase sales.

Marketing is an excellent fit for anybody who loves conversing with people and persuading them. An essential part of marketing is creating relationships and walking clients through a sales funnel. Most marketing roles are customer-centric.

Marketing majors tend to make a median salary of $135,000, with the 25th percentile averaging $100,000.

Earning potential depends heavily on work experience and your degree, such as a bachelor's in comparison to a master's
Marketing job growth is projected to be 10% between 2020 and 2030
Experts recommend applying to internships during your coursework to accumulate more work experience

Something to keep in mind is the versatility of a marketing major. You don't have to pursue a career directly in sales or marketing. You could choose a role in business, finance, etc.

Positions and Salaries

A marketing degree can lead you down quite a few different paths. Some roles you can fill with a marketing degree include:

Marketing Research Manager
Director of Email Marketing
Digital Marketing Director
Marketing Executive
Content Marketing Director
Sales Manager
Product Marketing Manager
Brand Marketing Manager
Public Relations Specialist
Sales Agent
Ecommerce Marketing Director
Creative Director

There is a wide range of salaries that accompany these positions. A digital marketing director makes an average of $84,000 a year, while a typical marketing executive’s salary is $150,000 to $360,000.

A sales manager usually brings in between $82,000 and $150,000, and an average sales agent makes about $54,000 a year.

Sales jobs can also widely depend on commission structure and how many sales you make per quarter.

Most marketing roles have a lot of opportunities for upward growth, which is why so many people enjoy this field of work.

What is the Difference Between a BBA and a BSBA in Marketing?

A Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration vary in one fundamental way.

A BSBA includes more of a mathematical component, whereas a BBA provides a general overview of business, math, and economics.

A BSBA usually ensures students have learned more than just a theoretical approach to business. When it comes to marketing, a Bachelor of Science is more in-depth about business practices and processes of selling to clients.

If you need help analyzing different programs and deciding between a BBA and a BSBA, you can reach out to a college admissions coach. They will answer any questions you may have and even walk you through different outcomes for your decisions.

What Other Careers Can You Pursue?

If you're not necessarily interested in a marketing role, other options are available for those with a sales and marketing degree. These include:

Social Media Manager
Graphic Designer
Consumer Psychologist
Entrepreneur

Social media managers spend most of their day predicting consumer behavior and how people will engage with specific content. You learn a lot about consumer behavior during marketing coursework, and this can be super helpful for any social media role.

Graphic designers must consider which color palettes will draw in clients regarding print ads, social media ads, and website design. This role is focused primarily on helping companies market themselves with tactical graphics, so it's perfect for a marketing major.

The same goes for consumer psychologists who analyze people and their purchasing behavior. Last but certainly not least, a marketing degree teaches you a lot about business administration, which can help you start your own company.

What Kind of Subjects Do You Learn?

Marketing encompasses many different methods for reaching consumers, and you learn about a lot of these during a marketing degree. Some subjects that you will become well-versed with include:

Search Engine Optimization
Paid Search
Display Ads
Networking
Sales Funnels
Social Media
Content Marketing
Project Management
Basic Accounting
The Buyer's Journey
Email Marketing

These are a mix of traditional and digital marketing skills that you will need to know to succeed in your marketing and sales career.

What Does a Day in the Life of a Marketer Look Like?

A typical day starts with reading and answering emails. Then, you review marketing objectives and begin strategizing. Depending on your position, you'll either be creating a plan for one company or multiple individual clients. Either way, you'll analyze your current key performance indicators (KPIs) and where there is a need for improvement.

Usually, you will have to coordinate content creation and copywriting for your client's website and organize the assets for different ads. This task can include gathering print material or digital videos and images.

You'll take a quick coffee break and then start researching future marketing trends so you can predict consumer behavior before it happens. Doing this will ensure your client's product or service performs well and reaches the right target audience.

You can wrap up by answering any leftover emails and ensuring to send all deliverables to the client.

Your day won't always look like this, but at least it's a general idea.

Make The Right Choice for You

Choosing your major is a big step toward your career, and you should consider all the factors in your decision. Marketing is an umbrella term that covers various tasks, and it applies to almost every industry. If you're creative and love to work with clients, this may be the perfect major for you.

Reach out to us at Clark College Consulting to make your academic decisions easier. We're always here to help!

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