how to become a marketing manager

Marketing Managers are business professionals who have an extensive background in planning and implementing a marketing, advertising or promotional plan and campaigns.

Their skills and background are important for businesses to help them grow and continue expanding their client base.

Individuals who want to become a Marketing Manager will need a combination of innate business skills, a postsecondary degree and work experience in order to enter this profession.

Education Requirements to Become a Marketing Manager

Individuals who want to become a Marketing Manager will need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in order to enter this profession.

Because Marketing Managers oversee the implementation of a marketing campaign, these professionals will also need several years of experience in the field.

Many employers prefer to hire individuals with an educational background in business or marketing.

Some helpful courses include: statistics, mathematics, finance, economics, management and business law.

In addition, courses in computer science are highly recommended because of the insight they provide to knowing how to maximize online traffic.

This is extremely advantageous to online marketing campaigns, advertisements and promotions.

Individuals who want to become a Marketing Manager will also benefit from gaining on the job experience while still undergraduates.

Individuals may do this by completing an internship that will help them apply their marketing knowledge.

Many Marketing Managers also have several years of experience in the field before advancing to a Marketing Manager position.

Many individuals gain experience in some of the following professions before advancing to Marketing Manager:

Sales
Promotions
Marketing
Advertising
Public Relations

Marketing Manager Job Description

Marketing Managers are responsible for planning and implementing a marketing, advertising or promotional plan and campaigns.

In order to choose the best marketing plan, a Marketing Manager will need to understand the demographic and groups they are advertising to.

This part of the marketing plan is referred to as market research which includes the study, gathering of data and analysis to gain an in depth understanding of their target market.

Once an individual has a very thorough understanding of their target market, they will begin determining a marketing plan.

This includes meeting with staff to discuss budgeting, types of media to be used, contracts and a marketing plan.

Marketing Managers will also frequently meet with their clients to provide feedback and advice on marketing and technical matters.

They will also be responsible for hiring marketing talent and to help with the daily activities.

Such staff includes individuals in promotions, advertising and marketing.

A Marketing Manager will also supervise this team.

Planning of a marketing campaign will include determining the type of media to be used for example, online vs radio or print vs television.

After a type of media has been selected, they will negotiate media contracts and begin developing campaigns.

This may include drawing sketches for use in advertising and assessing websites where consumers will be guided to.

Marketing Managers are also responsible for helping determine the price point of a product or service.

They will develop a strategy in order to determine the best price by using information from consumers on how much they are willing to pay for a certain product or service.

Marketing Manager Salary and Career Path

In 2012, the median salary for Marketing Managers was approximately $119,480 per year.

Exact wages will depend on a variety of factors including years of experience, size of the company and geographical location.

Some individuals in this profession can earn up to $187,200 per year.

The majority of individuals in advertising, promotions and marketing work 40 hours a week, although roughly 40% of individuals in this profession work longer hours.

The job outlook for marketing managers is expected to increase by 13 percent through the year 2022.

This growth is considered an average growth when compared to other professions.

Because marketing is an integral factor in a company's revenue, Marketing Managers are more likely to hold their jobs.

Their skills are necessary in a digital world that is bombarded with competition.

Individuals with experience in digital forms of marketing will have the best job prospects.

Marketing Managers use their in depth understanding of target markets to implement a marketing plan for a product, service or company.

Individuals in this profession use their extensive knowledge in human behavior and analytical skills to increase the demand and interest for the product or service they are hired to promote.

In addition to being a challenging career, individuals can also expect high salaries and the opportunity to advance in the field of marketing.

The below information is based on the 2019 BLS national averages.

Annually
Monthly
Hourly

National Average Salary

$149,200 $12,417 $71.73

Average Salary by State

State	Avg. Annual Salary
Alabama	$116,450
Alaska	$101,620
Arizona	$122,850
Arkansas	$152,410
California	$169,200
Colorado	$171,970
Connecticut	$158,940
Delaware	$162,360
District of Columbia	$166,280
Florida	$124,600
Georgia	$142,700
Hawaii	$107,880
Idaho	$116,900
Illinois	$133,280
Indiana	$115,230
Iowa	$115,960
Kansas	$145,440
Kentucky	$110,290
Louisiana	$98,330
Maine	$103,290
Maryland	$152,550
Massachusetts	$144,000
Michigan	$134,500
Minnesota	$145,210
Mississippi	$92,880
Missouri	$125,560
Montana	$107,190
Nebraska	$103,120
Nevada	$141,660
New Hampshire	$144,510
New Jersey	$178,300
New Mexico	$98,330
New York	$186,350
North Carolina	$144,750
North Dakota	$124,780
Ohio	$135,870
Oklahoma	$123,820
Oregon	$121,630
Pennsylvania	$148,610
Rhode Island	$164,520
South Carolina	$113,660
South Dakota	$162,890
Tennessee	$119,850
Texas	$149,420
Utah	$122,760
Vermont	$114,990
Virginia	$175,970
Washington	$164,070
West Virginia	$104,710
Wisconsin	$125,870
Wyoming	$109,700
Guam	$58,100
Puerto Rico	$85,460
Virgin Islands	$59,160

The top earning state in the field is New York, where the average salary is $186,350.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

New York - $186,350

New Jersey - $178,300

Virginia - $175,970

Colorado - $171,970

California - $169,200

State	Avg. Monthly Salary
Alabama	$9,667
Alaska	$8,417
Arizona	$10,167
Arkansas	$12,667
California	$14,083
Colorado	$14,250
Connecticut	$13,167
Delaware	$13,500
District of Columbia	$13,833
Florida	$10,333
Georgia	$11,833
Hawaii	$8,917
Idaho	$9,667
Illinois	$11,083
Indiana	$9,583
Iowa	$9,583
Kansas	$12,083
Kentucky	$9,167
Louisiana	$8,167
Maine	$8,583
Maryland	$12,667
Massachusetts	$12,000
Michigan	$11,167
Minnesota	$12,083
Mississippi	$7,667
Missouri	$10,417
Montana	$8,917
Nebraska	$8,583
Nevada	$11,750
New Hampshire	$12,000
New Jersey	$14,833
New Mexico	$8,167
New York	$15,500
North Carolina	$12,000
North Dakota	$10,333
Ohio	$11,250
Oklahoma	$10,250
Oregon	$10,083
Pennsylvania	$12,333
Rhode Island	$13,667
South Carolina	$9,417
South Dakota	$13,500
Tennessee	$9,917
Texas	$12,417
Utah	$10,167
Vermont	$9,500
Virginia	$14,583
Washington	$13,667
West Virginia	$8,667
Wisconsin	$10,417
Wyoming	$9,083
Guam	$4,833
Puerto Rico	$7,083
Virgin Islands	$4,917

The top earning state in the field is New York, where the average salary is $15,500.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

New York - $15,500

New Jersey - $14,833

Virginia - $14,583

Colorado - $14,250

California - $14,083

State	Avg. Hourly Salary
Alabama	$55.99
Alaska	$48.85
Arizona	$59.06
Arkansas	$73.27
California	$81.34
Colorado	$82.68
Connecticut	$76.41
Delaware	$78.06
District of Columbia	$79.94
Florida	$59.91
Georgia	$68.61
Hawaii	$51.86
Idaho	$56.20
Illinois	$64.08
Indiana	$55.40
Iowa	$55.75
Kansas	$69.93
Kentucky	$53.02
Louisiana	$47.28
Maine	$49.66
Maryland	$73.34
Massachusetts	$69.23
Michigan	$64.66
Minnesota	$69.81
Mississippi	$44.65
Missouri	$60.37
Montana	$51.53
Nebraska	$49.58
Nevada	$68.11
New Hampshire	$69.48
New Jersey	$85.72
New Mexico	$47.27
New York	$89.59
North Carolina	$69.59
North Dakota	$59.99
Ohio	$65.32
Oklahoma	$59.53
Oregon	$58.48
Pennsylvania	$71.45
Rhode Island	$79.10
South Carolina	$54.64
South Dakota	$78.31
Tennessee	$57.62
Texas	$71.84
Utah	$59.02
Vermont	$55.28
Virginia	$84.60
Washington	$78.88
West Virginia	$50.34
Wisconsin	$60.51
Wyoming	$52.74
Guam	$27.93
Puerto Rico	$41.09
Virgin Islands	$28.44

The top earning state in the field is New York, where the average salary is $89.59.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

New York - $89.59

New Jersey - $85.72

Virginia - $84.60

Colorado - $82.68

California - $81.34

* Salary information based on the May 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Marketing Managers, OCC Code 11-2021, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a marketing manager do?

Marketing managers manage the marketing of a product or a business.

A specialist can be in charge of one single product and service or a bunch of those.

The typical responsibilities of a marketing manager usually include coordinating the channels for marketing strategies; creating promotional information; testing marketing opportunities; directing social media strategies; analyzing customer feedback; building relationships with media outlets, and so on.

Marketing managers are responsible for the planned images (printed literature, video advertisements, etc.) and unplanned images (immediate damage control after a representative had misspoken in public, for example).

Specialists also perform complex product research to find all the weaknesses and strengths of new products; moreover, marketing managers are responsible for product placement and pricing together with other team members.

How much do marketing managers make?

On average, a marketing manager can make a little more than $100.000 per year in the United States.

In case you decide to choose this career path, you can expect to earn anywhere between $52.000 and $192.000 annually.

The salary would certainly depend on a variety of factors – your education and experience level, the employer, the location, and so on.

The professionals that work in New York, Virginia, and Colorado, for example, have the highest average salaries.

An entry-level marketing manager can earn around $25 per hour, while a top-level specialist with plenty of experience can make $92 and more per hour.

How much does it cost to become a marketing manager?

In most cases, you would need a bachelor's degree in business administration, marketing, advertising or a related field, in order to become a marketing manager.

To improve job prospects, you can consider getting a master's degree or taking some postgraduate courses.

A year in a university can cost you anywhere between $8.000 and $45.000 (and more); the cost depends on a variety of factors (bear in mind that the books, supplies, and accommodation expenses are not included).

A master's degree will typically cost you over $30.000.

In the future, you can join a trade association to network with other marketing managers (the membership can cost a few hundred dollars per year).

You can also become a Professional Certified Marketer for around $250.

What is the demand for marketing managers?

Between 2016 and 2026, the marketing manager job market is expected to grow by 10.1%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That's a little faster than the average for all occupations in the United States.

The growth of the financial sector and the number of businesses will increase the demand for marketing managers.

The industry is mainly concentrated in Illinois, New York, and California.

How long does it take to become a marketing manager?

It will take you 4 years to obtain a bachelor's degree and 1-2 years to get a master's degree.

You can consider seeking an internship during your last year in university to get that on-job experience as the majority of employers prefer the candidates to have at least a few years of experience.

To qualify for your certification exam, you would need to have at least 2 years of professional marketing experience (in case you have a master's degree) and 4 years of experience, if you have a bachelor's degree.