# Marketing Managers

> Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm's profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/marketing-managers
- SOC code: 11-2021.00
- Career family: Management
- Median annual pay: $166,790 (10th percentile $90,260, 90th percentile $293,610)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +6.9%
- Openings a year: 34,000
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 0 |
| Investigative (I) | 32 |
| Artistic (A) | 24 |
| Social (S) | 30 |
| Enterprising (E) | 100 |
| Conventional (C) | 62 |

## What you'd do

- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 92/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 90/100)
- Developing Objectives and Strategies (importance 88/100)
- Selling or Influencing Others (importance 88/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 85/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 83/100)
- Getting Information (importance 81/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 78/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 78/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 78/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Persuasion, Reading Comprehension, Systems Evaluation

## Knowledge

Sales and Marketing, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Communications and Media, Administration and Management, Education and Training, Personnel and Human Resources, Administrative, Economics and Accounting, Mathematics

## Also called

BD Director (Business Development Director), BD Manager (Business Development Manager), Brand Manager, Business Developer, Category Manager, Channel Manager, Commercial Director, Digital Marketing Manager, Digital Product Manager, Internet Marketing Manager

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Marketing](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5214) (CIP 5214, 1,126 colleges)
- [Specialized Sales, Merchandising and  Marketing Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5219) (CIP 5219, 189 colleges)
- [Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5120) (CIP 5120, 175 colleges)
- [Apparel and Textiles](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1909) (CIP 1909, 135 colleges)
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services (CIP 1902, 29 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $142,985 | $21,908 |
| [Long Island University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/long-island-university-1520) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $136,840 | not reported |
| [University of Louisiana at Monroe](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-louisiana-at-monroe-2935) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $134,329 | $13,980 |
| [University of Hawaii at Hilo](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-hawaii-at-hilo-2914) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $80,004 | $131,134 | not reported |
| [Western New England University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/western-new-england-university-3234) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $129,138 | $19,500 |
| [University of Kansas](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-kansas-2931) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $125,384 | $12,577 |
| [North Dakota State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/north-dakota-state-university-main-campus-1896) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $125,175 | $13,000 |
| [Saint Joseph's University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-joseph-s-university-2308) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $60,086 | $122,633 | $26,500 |

## Related careers

- [Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/market-research-analysts-and-marketing-specialists): $78,760 median pay
- [Sales Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-managers): $148,270 median pay
- [Advertising and Promotions Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/advertising-and-promotions-managers): $133,660 median pay
- [Search Marketing Strategists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/search-marketing-strategists): $78,760 median pay
- [Advertising Sales Agents](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/advertising-sales-agents): $64,820 median pay
- [Business Intelligence Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/business-intelligence-analysts): $120,230 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.