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Consumer Packaged Goods
Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Coca-Cola
Marketing Managers
Marketing managers decide how a product, service, or brand should be positioned, priced, and promoted, then turn that plan into campaigns, events, and team assignments. The job is distinct because it mixes creative judgment with budget pressure and performance data: you are trying to grow demand without spending more than the business can afford.
Also known as Brand Marketing ManagerMarketing Communications ManagerDigital Marketing ManagerGrowth Marketing ManagerMarketing Program Manager
Median Salary
$161,030
Mean $171,520
U.S. Workforce
~385K
34.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+6.6%
407K to 433.7K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ 5 years or more experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Marketing Managers sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~385K workers, with a median annual pay of $161,030 and roughly 34.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 407 K in 2024 to 433.7K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or communications, and employers typically expect 5 years or more of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Marketing Coordinator and can progress toward Vice President of Marketing. High-value skills usually include Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics & SEO Tools, CRM Platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot), and Marketing Automation Tools (Marketo, HubSpot, Pardot), paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Speaking, and Active Listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Set prices and offers so the business can stay competitive without giving away too much profit.
- Hire, coach, and review marketing or sales staff, and keep their day-to-day work organized.
- Plan campaigns and promotional policies that help products or services reach the right audience.
- Use market data, customer trends, and company goals to decide which marketing strategy makes the most sense.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Set prices and offers so the business can stay competitive without giving away too much profit.
02 Hire, coach, and review marketing or sales staff, and keep their day-to-day work organized.
03 Plan campaigns and promotional policies that help products or services reach the right audience.
04 Use market data, customer trends, and company goals to decide which marketing strategy makes the most sense.
05 Review budgets, spending, and expected profit to judge whether new product ideas are worth the investment.
06 Run or review market research and use the results to improve messaging, campaigns, and product plans.
Industries That Hire
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Technology and Software
Microsoft, Adobe, Salesforce
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Retail and E-commerce
Amazon, Walmart, Target
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Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals
Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, CVS Health
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Media and Entertainment
Disney, Netflix, Paramount
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong: the median annual wage is $161,030, and the mean is even higher at $171,520.
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There are 34.3 thousand projected annual openings, so the role has steady hiring demand.
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The job combines strategy, numbers, and people leadership instead of being only creative or only analytical.
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A 6.6% projected increase through 2034 adds 26.7 thousand jobs, so the field is still expanding.
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Experienced managers can move into director and VP roles, which gives the job a real leadership path.
Challenges
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You usually need 5 years or more of experience, so this is not a quick entry-level job.
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The role expects a bachelor's degree and no on-the-job training, which makes the jump into management more demanding.
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Marketing budgets are often the first to get cut when a company slows down, so the job can be sensitive to business cycles.
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Growth is only 6.6%, which means advancement can be competitive and top roles are limited.
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Some work is vulnerable to automation and self-serve analytics, especially routine reporting, campaign setup, and basic audience targeting.
Career Progression
Marketing Coordinator
0-3 years
$50K-$75K
Supports campaign logistics, reporting, scheduling, and vendor coordination while learning how marketing decisions are made.
Marketing Manager
5-9 years
$145K-$180K
Owns a budget, leads campaigns or a small team, and makes the pricing, messaging, and channel decisions that can move sales.
Senior Marketing Manager THIS ROLE
8-12 years
$180K-$230K
Handles larger launches or multiple channels, often with more direct control over strategy, forecasting, and people leadership.
Director of Marketing
12-16 years
$230K-$300K
Oversees several marketing functions or business lines and spends more time setting priorities than running individual campaigns.
Vice President of Marketing
15+ years
$300K-$420K
Sets the company-wide growth agenda, allocates major budgets, and is accountable for marketing results at the executive level.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or communications
This is the most common entry point, held by 55.76% of workers in this role.
Master's degree, often an MBA or marketing-focused graduate program
A graduate degree is also common, held by 24.36% of workers and often used to compete for larger brands or bigger teams.
First professional degree with later business or marketing experience
This path appears for 10.52% of workers and usually makes sense for people who move into marketing leadership after advanced professional training.
Bachelor's degree plus digital marketing certifications and several years of specialist experience
This is not one of the main distributions shown here, but it is a realistic alternative for people who build strong campaign, analytics, and platform skills on the job.
Key Skills
Technical
Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics & SEO Tools 78%
CRM Platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot) 78%
Marketing Automation Tools (Marketo, HubSpot, Pardot) 75%
Excel, Power BI & ROI Analysis 75%
Market Research, Survey Design & Consumer Insight Tools 75%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingSpeakingActive ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingSocial PerceptivenessReading Comprehension Job Outlook and Trends
+6.6%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
34.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 407K to 433.7 K over the next decade, representing 6.6% growth. Around 34.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.