What does a marketing manager do? Duties, pay, education and outlook
Marketing managers plan how an organization reaches and wins customers. The BLS page covers advertising, promotions and marketing managers together. A bachelor's degree is typically needed, plus related experience. Median pay was $165,780 per year in May 2025, and employment is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035.
At a glance
| Item | What BLS reports |
|---|---|
| SOC code | 11-2011 (advertising and promotions managers) and 11-2021 (marketing managers), grouped on the BLS page |
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
| Work experience | Typically work experience in a related occupation |
| Licensing | No license is described in the BLS profile |
| Median annual wage | $165,780 per year (May 2025) |
| Projected growth | 6 percent, 2025 to 2035 (faster than average) |
| Number of jobs | 454,800 (2025) |
What does a marketing manager do?
BLS covers three related management roles on one page: advertising managers, promotions managers and marketing managers. Advertising managers create interest among potential buyers. Promotions managers combine advertising with purchasing incentives. Marketing managers estimate demand and identify potential markets. Across the three, typical duties include:
- Working with department heads or staff on budgets, contracts, creative vision, marketing plans and media buying.
- Planning promotional campaigns, such as contests or giveaways, to build brand loyalty and reach new customers.
- Planning advertising campaigns, including deciding which media to use.
- Negotiating advertising contracts with clients and partners.
- Evaluating displays or websites used in campaigns.
- Starting market research studies and analyzing the findings.
- Developing pricing and other marketing strategies.
- Meeting with clients to give marketing advice.
- Directing the hiring and daily activities of staff.
Work environment
These managers typically work in an office setting. They may travel to meet clients or media representatives, and the work can be stressful near deadlines. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours a week. BLS counts about 33,200 jobs for advertising and promotions managers and about 421,600 for marketing managers in 2025.
Education, training and experience
BLS says a bachelor's degree in a business field such as marketing, or a related field such as communications, is typical, and some employers prefer a master's degree. These are management jobs, so work experience in a related occupation is typical. BLS gives sales representative, market research analyst and public relations specialist as examples of those earlier roles.
Skills that matter
BLS names analytical, communication, creativity, decision-making, interpersonal and organizational skills. O*NET highlights active listening, speaking, active learning, critical thinking, monitoring and reading comprehension for marketing managers. Its software categories include analytical or scientific software, business intelligence and data analysis software and cloud-based data access and sharing software.
How much do marketing managers earn?
BLS reports a median annual wage of $165,780 per year (May 2025) for the combined occupation. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS prints separate figures for the two groups: advertising and promotions managers, $133,660 per year, and marketing managers, $166,790 per year (both May 2025).
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, pay tab, based on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Pay varies widely by employer size and location. See how to research salary and how to negotiate an offer.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of advertising, promotions and marketing managers to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. That is a projected change of 27,900 jobs. About 36,300 openings are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
How to get hired
- Build experience in a feeder role. BLS names sales, market research and public relations as common starting points.
- Keep results you can describe. A campaign you planned, the audience, the budget you managed and what you learned make strong resume content. Describe only what is true and be ready to explain it.
- Show management skills. Hiring, budgeting and negotiating contracts are part of the job, so describe any lead or mentoring work.
- Use your network. Marketing roles are often filled through people you know; see networking for your job search.
- Tune your resume. See how to write an ATS-friendly resume, then search jobs on LiveRec.
Related occupations
BLS lists advertising sales agents, art directors, market research analysts, sales managers, public relations and fundraising managers and public relations specialists among similar occupations.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page about advertising or marketing managers? Both. BLS publishes one handbook page for advertising, promotions and marketing managers, with separate pay figures for each group.
Do marketing managers need a degree? BLS says a bachelor's degree in a business field such as marketing, or a related field such as communications, is typical.
Do you need experience first? Typically yes. BLS says work experience in a related occupation is typical, such as sales representative, market research analyst or public relations specialist.
Is the job growing? BLS projects 6 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 36,300 openings per year on average.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, accessed 31 October 2026
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, accessed 31 October 2026
- O*NET OnLine, 11-2021.00 Marketing Managers, accessed 31 October 2026
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