Online bachelor’s in marketing programs offer students the option to major in marketing without needing to study on campus. Many colleges and universities offer accredited programs, although the admission requirements for each program differ by school.

A Bachelor of Marketing degree may help you work in a field with a higher-than-average growth rate and competitive salary package.

What Is a Bachelor of Marketing?

A Bachelor of Marketing is a college degree that usually requires four years of full-time study. Online and part-time studies are likely to take longer. Bachelor of Marketing degrees often fall under the business department of colleges. That is because a Bachelor of Marketing degree is closely linked to a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. The difference is that a Bachelor of Business Administration or Management degree has a much broader scope. In contrast, a Bachelor of Marketing degree is more specialized.

Focus areas of a Bachelor of Business Administration include project management, leadership and critical thinking, along with subjects touching on marketing. On the other hand, students majoring in marketing could concentrate their studies around topics like consumer behavior, content marketing, marketing strategy and market research and analytics.

Online education is increasingly popular. According to the Wiley Education Services and Aslanian Market Research Student Online College Students 2020 study (PDF, 31.1 MB), more than 70% of colleges and universities in the United States plan on adding one to four new online undergraduate programs by 2023. More than half of students would rather choose to attend a different school than attend on-campus programs or enroll in a different program if a specific school does not offer online options.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing can be completed online in various formats. Fully online courses conduct all academic activities online, including instruction, testing, assignments and discussions. Hybrid or blended courses combine in-person instruction with online learning. Face-to-face web-enabled learning encourages students to attend virtual meetings with instructors and peers via webcam and virtual meeting programs like Zoom.

An accredited bachelor’s in marketing degree is usually required for positions in marketing management, promotions and advertising. College accreditation is conducted by accrediting agencies. These agencies are overseen by the U.S. Department of Education and ensure that a college or institution of higher learning meets and maintains specific educational standards.

Some online BA in marketing programs may accept transfer credits obtained through previous studies. According to the Wiley Education Services and Aslanian Market Research Student Online College Students 2020 study (PDF, 31.1 MB), nearly 90% of undergraduate students enter an online learning program with transferred college credits they earned elsewhere.

Online bachelor’s degree admissions requirements may vary from school to school. Most colleges or universities ask for at least the following:

More colleges and universities are dropping the need to take standardized tests for admissions. FairTest, The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, has compiled a list of over 1,800 accredited, four-year colleges and universities that have SAT/ACT-optional policies for Fall 2022 admissions. Policies with no SAT requirement strive to encourage greater equality in admissions.

The course curriculum for marketing majors differs depending on the program. However, many cover similar topics. Core courses you could expect to complete as part of a BA in marketing program include:

These core courses will often be supplemented by several elective courses to help enhance your knowledge in your field of study and obtain more specialized knowledge. For example, elective courses for someone pursuing a marketing major could include digital marketing or sales management.

Each school has its own marketing degree prerequisites students need to meet to be admitted into an online or in-person bachelor’s in marketing program. Some schools may only require a high-school diploma and that you are able to study in English. Other schools may require an associate or bachelor’s degree. 

Choosing a career path in marketing or changing your field is an exciting, possibly intimidating decision. Here are some frequently asked questions about getting an undergraduate degree in marketing to inform your decision.

While much of the answer to this question is subjective, an increase in jobs relating to marketing, marketing management and market research will inevitably lead to a higher demand for bachelor’s in marketing graduates. Still, a growing job market is only one of the reasons to consider obtaining a Bachelor of Marketing degree. 

A marketing degree enables you to pursue a number of careers. You will likely need a bachelor’s in marketing to become a marketing manager. This degree could also prepare you to work as a sales manager, financial analyst or manager, operations research analyst or account manager.

Bachelor’s in marketing salary expectations and career outlook are generally good, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salaries largely depend on the field you wish to enter as well as geographic location.

The median annual wage for a marketing manager was $135,030 in May 2021. Market research analysts earned a median annual wage of $63,920 in the same period.

Most Bachelor of Marketing degrees include courses in statistics and analytics. That means some math will be required. For some schools, an introduction to statistics course could be a prerequisite for the Bachelor of Marketing degree program.

Because schools offer a range of Bachelor of Marketing programs, all with different admission requirements and areas of focus, only you would be able to decide which one is the best fit for you and your career goals. The best online marketing degree is the one that is best suited for you based on your qualifications, interests and career aspirations. As you do your research, exploring these bachelor’s in marketing scholarships may assist you in your final decision.

Last updated April 2022