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Online Degrees

Part of Western Governors University

Best Online Marketing Degree

What is the best online school for marketing?

Overhead photo looking down onto a conference table strewn about with laptops, graphs, and people's hands.

A marketing degree is critical for many people looking to progress in their business career. And an online marketing degree program could be the perfect way to continue your education in a way that is effective for you, allowing you to continue working full-time. You also may be able to utilize your current experience and knowledge to help you accelerate through your courses. This can help you graduate faster and impact your career even sooner.

A marketing degree program will give you valuable knowledge and skills in traditional marketing, brand management, social media strategy, market research, email marketing, advertising, public relations, and more. You'll be prepared to move up in your current role or move into a different marketing career. But not all marketing degrees and curriculum are created equal. It's important to understand the value of the degree, the cost of the program, how long it will take to complete, and the courses in the program. Weighing all of these elements will help you determine which online marketing degree program will really be the best fit for you.

Best online school for a marketing degree.

Doing research is vital to choosing your marketing degree program. Your program cost, the length of time it will take to graduate, and the courses themselves are all important. But it's also valuable to understand the amount of debt most students take on to finish their degree and how much more money they earn after graduating. Knowing how your degree will impact your current and future finances is key in making the best decision. Compare top online marketing programs to determine which is the best one for you.


1. Arizona State University—Skysong

ROI: 254%

  • Exclusively Online Students: 43,721
  • Tuition: $10,806 per year

2. Western Governors University

ROI: 249%

  • Exclusively Online Students: 136,139
  • Tuition: $6,670 per year

3. Southern New Hampshire University

ROI: 166%

  • Exclusively Online Students: 106,703
  • Tuition: $31,136 per year

4. American Public University System

ROI: 108%

  • Exclusively Online Students: 45,249
  • Tuition: $7,324 per year

5. University of Phoenix-Arizona

ROI: 95%

  • Exclusively Online Students: 93,777
  • Tuition: $9,552 per year

6. Ashford University

ROI: 85%

  • Exclusively Online Students: 32,620
  • Tuition: $12,400 per year

7. Capella University

ROI: 80%

  • Exclusively Online Students: 37,859
  • Tuition: $14,540 per year

Ranking methodology.

Our goal in this ranking is to objectively look at how top online university programs compare to one another. This is why we have used third-party data to help us reach our conclusions about programs we rank. 

Data sources:

Explanation and requirements for ranking:

  • Universities were ranked on their ROI ratio. The ROI ratio is a comparison of two-year post-graduation earnings and student debt at graduation. High ROI is better.
  • Universities must offer four-year degree programs to be considered
  • Universities had to have non-zero debt and earnings numbers.
  • We chose to include only online universities by only including schools that have at least 90% of their total student population be exclusively online. This eliminates brick and mortar institutions with online programs from our ranking.
  • We chose to include only institutions that are doing online education at scale because we believe this is a better experience for students pursuing an online degree. We chose to only include institutions that had at least 15,000 total online-only students for this reason.
  • The use of the word "best" is subjective, but we are using the term based on the ranking methodology explained above, and in a way that reflects WGU's values.

Learn about WGU's Marketing Program

If you're looking to get a degree in marketing, WGU offers an accredited online bachelor's of science, business administration, with a focus in marketing. This degree program will help boost your résumé and give you crucial skills that can help you enhance your career. Marketing involves specific knowledge and experience in many different fields, and a degree from WGU can help you be prepared for this ever-changing and lucrative industry. Getting this marketing degree online will enhance your skills and credentials, ensuring you are prepared for an exciting career path in marketing management, marketing strategy, brand management, event planning, sales, content marketing, digital marketing, and many more areas. Discover if the WGU Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Marketing degree is the right fit for you.

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...

For those who want to lead brands and steer consumer markets:

  • Time: 67% of graduates finish within 36 months.
  • Tuition and fees: $3,720 per 6-month term.

Some careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:

  • Marketing and PR manager
  • Director of marketing and communications
  • Director of publications
  • Customer intelligence manager
  • Marketing sales manager

Marketing is a creative and exciting field—and one where an undergraduate degree will open better opportunities.


What Is a Marketing Degree?

A bachelor of science in marketing is an undergraduate degree program that directly focuses on teaching student important skills of marketing strategy, marketing management, marketing research, and more. In a bachelor of science marketing degree program students will focus on key areas of marketing, including digital marketing, sales marketing, consumer behavior, brand management, and more. Marketing typically falls under the umbrella of business administration, so students in a marketing degree program can also expect other business classes that will give them additional insight on strategy, communication, finance, and leadership. These work hand-in-hand with marketing coursework to help a student become well-versed in how a business needs to utilize their marketing strategy to help sell their products or services.

Can You Get a Marketing Degree Online?

Yes! There are many options for students to earn an online bachelor's degree in marketing from an accredited school. An online bachelor's degree program allows students to continue to work full-time and continue to maintain their family responsibilities while they are getting their degree. An online bachelor's degree that is from an accredited school is highly respected by employers and is considered valuable for those looking to pursue a career in marketing. In an online bachelor's degree program you will learn about digital marketing, sales marketing, content marketing, management strategies, brand behavior, consumer behavior, and more. These skills will help prepare students to move forward in exciting marketing careers.

What Degree is Best for Marketing?

If you want to pursue a career in marketing, an accredited degree specific for marketing will likely be the best option. A degree in marketing will have a specific focus on all the different areas within the marketing spectrum, from digital to traditional. It will also give students insight into finances, budgets, strategy, management, and consumer elements of marketing. A degree with a focus on marketing will be the ideal choice for students who are looking for any type of career specific to marketing.

 

How Much Does an Online Marketing Degree Cost?

Typical online marketing degrees cost between $26,000 to $70,000 in total tuition. Most degree programs take 4 years to complete and will cost anywhere from $6,000 to $17,500 per year. However, there are some degree programs that will allow you to accelerate your coursework and finish faster. There may also be less expensive online degree options. WGU's online marketing degree costs $3,575 per six-month term, and most students are able to finish in approximately 3 years, reducing the total cost of their degree considerably.

What Will I Learn in a Marketing Degree Program?

Group of young entrepreneurs having a business meeting in front of the transparent wipe board in the office

A marketing degree program will have many specific focuses that are geared toward helping students be prepared for a wide variety of marketing careers. It is key for students to understand the many facets of marketing and how they work together in order to be successful in a career in marketing. A bachelor of science in marketing is traditionally a business administration program, which gives students additional coursework in business administration fundamentals such as finance, economics, strategy, and more. Business administration courses can help connect a bachelor of science in marketing to more traditional business curriculum, which can enhance marketing research and consumer behavior understanding. For example, a business administration course on statistics can help inform marketing research coursework and studies on consumer behavior that a marketing student may be studying in another class. Business administration focused courses can work with other marketing-specific courses in an online bachelor's degree program to enhance the overall experience for students.

Some curriculum in an online bachelor's degree in marketing will likely include:

  • Digital Marketing
  • Marketing Research
  • Public Relations
  • Social Media Strategy
  • Sales Management
  • Content Marketing
  • Marketing Management
  • Consumer Behavior
  • Brand Management
  • Marketing Strategy and Analytics
  • Marketing Applications
  • Business Fundamentals
  • Finance
  • Strategic Thinking
  • And more

What Can I Do with an Online Marketing Degree?

A bachelor of science in marketing is a critical starting place for anyone interested in a career that is focused on marketing. Marketing is used across all kinds of industries and organizations to help promote products and services. Marketers are crucial for helping managers and leadership understand their consumer behavior and know how to promote to them. Large and small businesses, hospitals, schools, non-profits, governments, and tech companies all utilize marketing professionals to help them with their website, consumer connections, and campaigns. Social media, emails, content, and traditional marketing techniques are all crucial to help organizations reach their consumers.

  • Event planner
  • Account manager
  • Sales manager
  • Marketing specialist
  • Advertising manager
  • Public relations manager
  • Sales representative
  • Marketing manager
  • Social media manager
  • Email manager
  • Content manager
  • Website specialist
  • Promotions manager
  • Brand manager
  • Chief marketing officer