What can you do with a master’s in marketing?

By: Amanda Phagan, Edited by: Marie Custodio Collazo

Published: August 1, 2025

What is the job outlook for master's in marketing graduates?

There is generally a high demand for marketing professionals with advanced degrees. However, a graduate's job outlook depends on several factors, such as their experience, sector, and company.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), projects 8% job growth between 2023 and 2033 for marketing, advertising, and promotions managers, which is faster than the average growth rate for all jobs during the same period. The job outlook is also positive for other potential master's in marketing careers, including:

• Market research analyst: +8%
• Chief marketing officer (top executive): +6%
• Sales manager: +6%

Marketing master's salary overview

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average adjusted gross income for graduates with a master's degree in marketing, business, or management was $74,596 per year in 2020. However, your earning potential as a master's in marketing graduate depends on several factors, such as your:

• Employer
• Location
• Industry
• Years of field experience
• The health of the economy

Salary also depends on your specific role as a marketer. Here are some examples of advanced marketing roles and their median annual wages from 2024 BLS data:

• Marketing, advertising, and promotions manager: $159,660
• Market research analyst: $76,950
• Chief marketing officer (top executive): $105,350
• Sales manager: $138,060

What jobs can you get with a master's in marketing?

If you find yourself wondering whether a master's in marketing is worth it, consider the career doors an advanced marketing degree may open. Whether you strive to manage a team of creatives, become an expert analyst, or own your organization's marketing division, an online master's in marketing program can help prepare you for the following roles:

Marketing manager

Marketing managers develop and lead marketing teams. They often work cross-functionally with creative directors, writers/editors, graphic designers, and data science teams to strategize and direct the execution of marketing materials. Marketing managers often set big-picture goals for their teams to focus on and orchestrate team meetings. Master's in marketing programs typically prepare students for mid- to senior-level roles like this one.

Required skills: Leadership, marketing strategy, business communications

Market research analyst

Market research analysts study consumer behaviors and market conditions that affect business outcomes. They help companies develop better products and services that address these factors. The research, social listening, and critical thinking skills taught in marketing master's programs can help prepare you for this role.

Required skills: Data extraction, marketing analytics, data visualization

Chief marketing officer

A chief marketing officer, or CMO, is responsible for an entire organization's marketing strategy. This person's decisions dictate what lower-ranking marketing leaders and their teams prioritize. A CMO's main goal is to align marketing efforts with organizational goals, brand development, market conditions, customer trends, and projected revenue. A master's in marketing can help you develop the strong leadership and data-driven decision-making skills needed to become a CMO.

Required skills: Competitive strategy, marketing management, innovation

Sales manager

A sales manager guides a team of sales professionals toward revenue targets. This role entails strategic decision-making, leadership, customer relationship management, and competitive performance tracking. The lead generation, product marketing, and CRM know-how commonly taught in marketing master's programs can provide you with transferable skills that may be helpful in sales management.

Required skills: Enterprise sales, customer relationship management, customer insights

Brand manager

Brand managers are responsible for developing all brand-related assets. They also orchestrate and monitor brand campaigns, which involve cross-functional teams of creative directors, copywriters, graphic designers, email marketers, social media managers, and data scientists. A master's in marketing can help you hone the cross-functional marketing expertise you need to become a brand manager.

Required skills: Branding, brand engagement, digital marketing

SEO specialist

SEO specialists — often called SEOs — do the behind-the-scenes research needed to improve a website's position in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEOs are key members of a content marketing team, as they inform the strategy of all web content. They perform keyword research, direct content optimization processes, and monitor search engines for important changes that may impact organic website traffic. Master's in marketing graduates typically come away with the market research knowledge necessary to become an SEO specialist or manager.

Required skills: Google Search Console, strategic thinking, content marketing

Why earn a master's degree in marketing?

Earning a master's degree in marketing may help you:

• Increase your earning potential: According to the BLS, master's degree graduates earned $297 more in median weekly income than those who had a bachelor's degree in 2024.
• Enjoy higher job security: In 2024, the BLS reported that master's degree holders had a 2.2% unemployment rate, bachelor's degree holders had a 2.5% rate, and associate degree holders had a 2.8% rate.
• Specialize in a topic: Become an expert in branding, consumer psychology, marketing analytics, or global campaign management.
• Expand your network: Alumni networks and instructor connections can open doors to exciting opportunities in the marketing field.
• Gain a competitive edge: Marketing is ever-evolving. Those with an up-to-date, in-depth education covering changing and/or emerging areas of marketing — like artificial intelligence (AI) — may stand out in a crowd.

Ready to become a powerful player in the marketing field? Browse the online marketing master's programs and Executive Education programs offered through edX now and prepare for the next step in your career.