Advertising Jobs with a Degree from WGU
Seeking to Enroll in an Advertising Degree Program?
A career in advertising is an exciting and lucrative path that allows professionals to work in a variety of business settings. But did you know that a marketing degree teaches you the same skills as an advertising degree while offering an even broader look at the world of marketing and advertising? While WGU may not offer a degree in advertising, a B.S. in Business Administration–Marketing degree could be even more useful in the long run, providing you with more job options while still qualifying you to pursue advertising careers. If you’re just starting your career and are interested in advertising and marketing, consider pursuing a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
Competitive Advertising Skills
Advertising is a component of marketing, so you’ll find that many of the skills you need to succeed in this field are nearly the same as those necessary for a career in advertising. A marketing degree can empower you with the specific skills that clients and employers are seeking, such as:
Hard Advertising Skills
Written communication
Critical thinking
Audience analysis
Project management
Market research
SEO and SEM knowledge
Soft Marketing Skills
Verbal communication
Creativity
Analytical perspective
Problem-solving attitude
Interpersonal skills
Attention to detail
Leadership
Pathways to Advertising Careers
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration Marketing (BSBAMK)
WGU’s online marketing degree program gives graduates the skills they need to become top marketers. Learning about traditional marketing concepts, digital and emerging methods, data literacy, and customer-focused strategies will prepare you to stand out when applying for marketing and advertising jobs.
Some critical marketing skills you’ll learn in this degree program include:
- Digital marketing
- Consumer behavior
- Marketing analytics
- Sales management
- Branding
- Content creation
- Communication
You'll learn how to conduct market research and build strategies for products and services, which will prepare you to work in virtually any industry. Upon graduation, you’ll be ready to begin your career in marketing management, marketing strategy, brand management, event planning, sales, content marketing, digital marketing, and countless other roles.
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
A bachelor’s degree will allow you to work in low- and mid-level marketing and advertising roles, but in order to work in higher-level leadership roles, you’ll need a master’s in business administration. WGU’s online MBA degree program is for students who already hold an advertising or marketing bachelor’s degree, or a degree in a related field, and want to expand their horizons to more lucrative leadership and C-level roles in their industry.
Some critical business skills you’ll learn in an MBA include:
- Managing organizations and leading people
- Global economics
- Marketing
- Accounting for decision-makers
- Ethical leadership
- Financial management
Through WGU’s MBA program, you’ll learn how to become an effective leader and make the data-driven decisions that grow companies. If your ambitions don’t point toward leading an organization or starting your own company, this degree also enables you to simply work in higher-level marketing and advertising roles while making you eligible for a higher salary.
Master of Science in Marketing (MSMK)
This marketing master’s program is offered with two specialization options: Digital Marketing (MSMK) and Marketing Analytics (MSMKA). The digital marketing track is for general marketers with an emphasis on social media, email, e-commerce, and content marketing. The marketing analytics track is designed for technical marketers pursuing SEO and other data-driven aspects of marketing. Both programs prepare students for a leadership role in marketing.
Other important skills you’ll learn in a marketing master’s degree program include:
- Content management
- Brand management
- Content creation
- Data-driven decision-making
- Creative thinking
- Marketing leadership
The digital marketing and marketing analytics programs also offer opportunities to earn industry-relevant certifications from WGU’s partnerships with Google and HubSpot. With a master’s in marketing from WGU, you’ll learn how to grow a company’s customer base through leveraging diverse marketing channels and conducting marketing campaigns. You’ll also be able to work in higher-level marketing roles with a potentially higher salary.
10%
projected career growth for advertising, promotions, and marketing professionals from 2020 to 2030
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Advertising Degree Job Options
Marketing degrees can prepare you for many of the same positions that an advertising degree can. Here is a short list of examples:
- Advertising directors oversee advertising operations. They establish advertising goals, determine budgets, monitor work, collaborate with art directors to design ads, and measure the success of advertising campaigns. Advertising directors earn a median salary of $101,007.
- Social media managers are responsible for representing a company on all social media platforms. They act as the voice of the brand, create content to build relationships with current and prospective customers, and measure social media ROI. Social media managers earn an average salary of $71,191.
- Public relations specialists are tasked with creating and maintaining a positive public perception of a brand. They write press releases, build relationships with news syndicates, and develop strategies to support their marketing goals. Public relations specialists earn an average salary of $62,810.
- Product managers develop products and their features based on customer needs. They oversee the strategy, design, production, and go-to-market launch of a company’s product or product updates. Product managers earn an average salary of $113,446.
- Digital marketing managers develop online marketing strategies to help clients grow and capture new customers. They work as account executives to oversee everything from search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, and social media to website optimization, building ads, and creating persuasive content. Digital marketing managers earn an annual salary of $58,279.
- Copywriters are in charge of writing the marketing content that’s used in digital marketing strategies. They spend most of their time writing persuasive blog posts, landing pages, social media posts, paid ads, email marketing communications, and implementing SEO findings. Copywriters earn an average salary of $73,701
- Marketing promotions specialists strategize and build promotional campaigns for organizations, adhere to advertising budgets, and measure ROI of promotional efforts. They are responsible for building targeted promotional content for multiple marketing channels. Marketing promotions specialists earn $78,000 a year on average.
- Media buyers oversee all media buying activities and make buying decisions based on a number of factors, including market research. They negotiate deals with websites, news channels, social media brands, magazines, and many other platforms for pricing on ad spots. Media buyers earn an average salary of $62,434.
- Promotions directors create in-depth plans for promotions aligned with an organization’s marketing strategy. They research and gather data on the target audience to build effective promotional offers. Promotions directors earn $65,739 a year on average.
- Brand managers ensure that a company’s products and services meet the needs of their target customers. They’re responsible for monitoring market trends, assessing competitors, maintaining an organization’s brand promises, and making product recommendations. Brand managers earn $92,938 a year on average.
- Content managers supervise the creation, dissemination, and strategic activities of building marketing messaging in order to inform and persuade an audience. They use digital marketing software and tools to build effective, SEO-driven content. These professionals work in many settings, including advertising agencies. Content managers earn an average salary of $60,997.
- SEO managers use digital marketing strategies to link users to a company's products or services. They play an essential role in converting prospects to customers by creating strategically targeted content. SEO managers earn $72,652 a year on average.
Each of these positions can be held with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. However, to hold higher-level positions in marketing roles, we strongly recommend pursuing an MBA degree. The salary averages for these positions are based on entry-level and starting salary data. In all of these roles, you have the potential to earn even more, depending on your years of experience, job performance, skills and certifications, and geographical location.
Why Choose WGU?
Why should you choose a WGU marketing or business administration degree over an advertising degree somewhere else? There are several reasons a WGU degree is a great fit for students.
- Low, flat-rate tuition means that you're charged the same amount per six-month term, regardless of how many classes you take.
- Competency-based education means you can use your knowledge to your advantage, accelerating your program and graduating faster. Graduating faster also saves you money.
- We offer scholarships and financial aid to help with our already affordable tuition, making college education accessible for even more students.
- The coursework in our business programs is career-focused, meaning the skills you learn are meaningful and will translate directly to your work post graduation. But you don't have to take our word for it.
Prepared for Success on the Job
*From a 2022 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU graduates.
100% of employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.*
97% of employers said that they would hire another WGU grad.*
98% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.*
Which Degree Should You Choose?
Business
Marketing – B.S. Business Administration
For those who want to lead brands and steer consumer markets:...
For those who want to lead brands and steer consumer markets:
- Time: 60% of graduates finish within 19 months.
- Tuition: $3,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 41 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program include:
- Communication
- Marketing
- Sales
- Management
- Project Management
- Product Management
Marketing is a creative and exciting field—and one where an undergraduate degree will open better opportunities.
Business
Master of Business Administration
The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management,...
The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management, strategy, and leading teams:
- Time: Graduates can finish in 12 months
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program include:
- Leadership strategies
- Talent management
- Communication
- Data collection and interpretation
- Financial statements
Our competency-based model gives you an innovative learning experience you won't find anywhere else—and our MBA grads tell us they loved accelerating their program to see a faster ROI.
