25 Best Online Associates Degree in Marketing Programs [2024 Guide]

To start your career in advertising, social media, sales, or public relations, you can earn an online associates degree in marketing.

In this program, you can learn about consumer behavior and brand loyalty.

Getting this degree can prepare you to take entry-level marketing positions or transfer to a related bachelor’s program.

Online Associate in Marketing Degrees

If you’re a strong communicator, then marketing is a field where you could put that skill to work. Marketing professionals often serve as spokespeople for their brands; they work to create positive images that influence consumers, investors, and other companies.

The power of persuasion is another important skill in marketing. If you have a natural knack for encouraging others to see things from your point of view, then you may have what it takes to succeed in marketing. During the classes for your online marketing degree, you can continue to develop this skill and apply it in professional capacities.

Marketing is a field that includes sales, advertising, consumer research, and public relations. You may touch on each of these topics during your associate degree program. Some marketing classes cover the science of consumer behavior and teach you how to market accordingly.

Other courses may help you practice oral or written communication. Because this is a business discipline, you may also take classes in economics and office technology.

Earning an associate degree may help you secure an entry-level position in marketing. Right away, you might be a sales associate or retail manager. Alternatively, you could be part of a team that handles public relations, market research, or advertising campaigns.

Although you probably won’t be in charge at this point in your career, you can gain knowledge and experience that can help you advance to positions of higher responsibility. Someday, you might be a marketing or sales manager or a public relations director.

Getting more education can certainly help you advance your career. An associate degree in marketing can typically allow you to transfer into a four-year program as a junior. Then it could only take two more years or less to complete your bachelor’s degree in sales, marketing, social media, public relations, or advertising.

Many fields depend on the expertise of marketing professionals, so you should have a wide variety of opportunities available to you throughout your career. For example, you might find work with retailers, manufacturers, food producers, service providers, healthcare organizations, nonprofit agencies, or colleges.

Associate’s Degree in Marketing Curriculum & Courses

As you study for a 2 year marketing degree online, you should earn about 60 college credit hours. Some of these credits will be for general education courses, but many will be for classes that are specific to the fields of marketing and business.

Your curriculum may be similar to the list below.

• Business Applications – This course introduces software programs and database systems that you may use in a business environment.
• Communication Principles for Marketing Professionals – This course reviews the channels that companies use for communicating with consumers. These may include advertising campaigns, social media posts, and limited-time promotions.
• Digital Marketing – The curriculum for this course covers using social media and other online tools to position your brand in front of consumers.
• Fundamentals of Public Relations – This class teaches how to do marketing for an organization by cultivating a positive image and responding to criticisms.
• Global Marketing and Sales: This course introduces the fundamentals of sharing your products or services with international audiences.
• Introduction to Sales – This class is designed to give you the tools needed for building customer relationships and growing your sales base.
• Marketing Fundamentals – This is an introductory course into marketing’s various disciplines, including consumer research and communication strategies.
• Public Speaking – After learning about speechwriting and audience analysis, you can practice delivering clear and compelling oral messages.
• Purchasing Behavior – This class covers the science of consumer behavior. You can learn what motivates customers to develop brand loyalty and make purchases.
• Retail Selling – You can learn about working in a retail environment, providing management and team leadership, and increasing store sales.

Your curriculum may include the opportunity to take elective classes. These can give you the chance to explore a topic that is of interest to you or one that aligns with your future career goals.

Marketing Careers & Salaries

Marketing associate degree programs can get you ready for entry-level jobs in marketing. These jobs can help you gain some of the experience that you’ll need for moving into advanced roles.

Understanding marketing principles can help you become a better salesperson. As a result, you could take a job on the sales floor of a retail shop. You may even be given a management position. Assistant managers may eventually become store managers or regional managers.

You could also become a sales professional who markets goods or services to individuals or companies. For example, you could sell insurance or travel packages. Over time, you may be trusted as a sales manager, especially if you gain more education along the way.

If you’d rather work in a non-sales field, you may need to start with entry-level positions after getting your associate’s degree. This goes for jobs in market research, advertising, public relations, and digital marketing.

Your role might include responsibilities like uploading new posts to a company’s social media feeds, conducting customer surveys, or maintaining communication with advertising clients.

With your associate degree, you might be employed by a marketing firm that coordinates advertising campaigns or social media marketing for various clients. You could also get a job doing marketing-related tasks for one specific company; for example, you might be a member of a hospital’s public relations team.

What makes marketing a good major is that you could work in various roles within corporations, small businesses, nonprofit groups, and educational institutions.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in media and communications pay an average annual salary of $61,310. Jobs in sales sector produce median earnings of $31,500 each year.

Median salaries reflect employees of all experience and education levels and are not a guarantee of income. Please keep in mind that some employers look for a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to be considered for a few of these positions.

Choosing an Associate’s Degree in Marketing

If you’re looking for the best associate degree in marketing, it’s a good idea to compare multiple schools. Each college approaches its online marketing program in a slightly different way, so some may be a better fit for you than others. Evaluating each program’s characteristics can help you narrow down your choices.

• Accreditation – One of your primary considerations should be a school’s accreditation status. You should only enroll at colleges that hold regional accreditation.
• Course list – Reading through the list of classes that you’ll take can give you a good overview of what will be covered at a particular school. Does it seem like you’d get a good introduction to many different aspects of marketing? Also, do the classes sound appealing to you?
• Online style – At some schools, you may need to log in at certain times or move through the courses at a set pace. Others may allow you to check-in at any hour of the day or progress at your own speed.
• Schedule – Online schools may use traditional two-semester calendars, or they may offer accelerated class schedules in which one six- or eight-week course begins right after another.
• Transfer options – Some schools have an agreement with one or more four-year schools that can make it particularly easy to receive full credit for your associate’s degree when transferring to a bachelor’s program.
• Type of degree – Associate of Science (AS) degrees may focus more on the science of consumer behavior and market analysis, and Associate of Arts (AA) degrees may emphasize communication and management skills.

You may want to apply to several different schools, so pick out a few that meet your criteria. Once you are admitted to one or more programs, you can make your final decision about where to enroll.

Admissions Requirements

Before you can earn an online marketing associates degree, you’ll need to be accepted into a college program. Submitting your application is the first step in making that happen. Each college sets its own admissions requirements, but your application packet may include the following components.

• Application form – You’ll begin the process by filling out an application form that includes basic profile information and indicates which program of study interests you. There may be a fee to submit as well.
• Proof of graduation – You may need to turn in the documentation that verifies that you have graduated from high school or earned a GED.
• Test scores – Some colleges use SAT or ACT scores to determine whether you are a good fit for their associate degree programs.
• Transcripts – High school transcripts provide details about the classes that you took and the GPA that you earned. If you’ve taken any college classes, you should provide that information as well.

Some associate degree programs also request additional materials. These may include essays, resumes, background checks, or letters of recommendation. The more selective a college is, the more steps there may be to the application process.

On the other hand, some two-year schools have very few admissions requirements and are willing to accept nearly all applicants. If you don’t have a strong track record of academic success, enrolling at one of these schools may give you the opportunity to turn your grades around before moving on to a four-year degree program.

Accreditation

Whether your college has stringent admissions requirements or rather relaxed ones, you can count on earning a good education there if the school holds accreditation. An accredited is school is one that has been recognized for providing a good education.

The primary type of recognition to consider is regional accreditation. There are seven organizations that are approved by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to issue regional accreditation to U.S. schools.

• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Western Association of Schools and Colleges
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

Accrediting bodies hold institutions to high academic standards. If one of these groups hasn’t approved your school, then you may end up with gaps in your education.

Employers trust regionally accredited schools to produce qualified graduates. A degree issued by an accredited college can do a better job of helping you find employment.

Your credits will also hold more weight during the transfer process. Most colleges won’t accept coursework that was completed at an unaccredited school. If you want to advance to a bachelor’s program, it’s best to earn your associate degree from a regionally accredited school.

Marketing Professional Organizations

Industry groups bring together marketing professionals for learning, collaboration, and networking. You can increase your skills and your influence by joining one or more of these associations.

• American Marketing Association – By joining AMA, you will have opportunities to read industry publications, save on the cost of events and certification programs, and participate in local chapters or special interest groups.
• Association of National Advertisers – ANA, which represents client-side, agency-side, and nonprofit marketers, offers conferences, webinars, online resources, and digital publications; your specific benefits will vary based on your membership level.
• Association of Strategic Marketing – ASM can keep you informed on marketing topics through articles, in-person seminars, and live and pre-recorded webinars, and you can sign up for a free bronze-level membership.
• Business Marketing Association – Once an independent organization, BMA has become the ANA Business Marketing Division of the Association of National Advertisers and now offers benefits like local chapter membership, webinars, online resources, and conference discounts.
• Public Relations Society of America – By joining this organization for those who work in PR and communications, you may have access to digital newsletters, webinars, online forums, discounted in-person events, student chapters and professional interest groups.
• National Association of Sales Professionals – Through a free membership in NASP, you can talk to industry coaches, view job listings, read articles about the sales industry, submit your own articles, and enroll in certification programs.
• Sales and Marketing Executives International – Becoming an SMEI Executive member will give you access to free and discounted courses and webinars, and you can take advantage of member forums, webcasts, a resource library, and reduced-fee certification programs.

The sooner you join a professional organization, the sooner you can start benefitting from your membership. You may find that the publications and online resources enhance your classroom learning. Student membership rates are often available.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Before you commit to an associate degree program, it’s a good idea to consider the cost. Most schools charge per credit hour and the tuition price can really add up over the course of a few semesters. Fortunately, financial aid can help make earning a degree a more affordable prospect.

Start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Based on your results, you may qualify for assistance from the federal government. This may come in the forms of grants, low-interest loans, or a combination of the two.

Some students can also enroll in the Federal Work-Study program to earn tuition funds through a part-time job. Your state may offer grants or other assistance as well.

In addition to government assistance, many students also turn to private aid. Scholarships are a popular choice. While you do have to apply and be selected, if you put your name in the running for many different scholarships, there’s a good chance you can win at least one of these awards.

To find a wide variety of scholarship opportunities, look for local programs as well as national ones. Check with organizations like professional associations, corporations, religious institutions, and community clubs. Your college may offer scholarships too.

If a marketing degree is relevant to your current job, your employer might contribute toward your educational expenses. Consult the human resources department to learn whether that’s an option for you.

What Can You Do With an Associates Degree in Marketing Online?

With an associate degree in digital marketing, you can search for entry-level jobs in this field. You may look for a position in sales or retail work; you might be a floor associate, a business-to-business salesperson, or a store manager.

You might also join an advertising, public relations, or client-side marketing team as a junior associate or a specialist. Over time, you may work your way up to positions of greater authority.

Can You Get an Associate’s Degree in Marketing?

Yes, many colleges have programs for associate degrees in marketing. Some programs are offered on school campuses and other colleges use online formats.

In an associate degree program, you can learn about foundational concepts in marketing, such as communication, sales, and consumer behavior. These studies may help you get entry-level work in the marketing field.

What Is a Social Media Degree?

A degree program for social media studies can help you learn about digital marketing. You can study how to engage consumers, advertise products, increase brand recognition, and make sales through online campaigns.

There may be courses on consumer research and data analytics. To complement these studies, you may also take classes on digital marketing through other channels, such as email and company websites.

Can You Get an Associate’s in Digital Marketing Online?

Yes, you can find colleges that offer online digital marketing associate’s degree programs. A similar program to consider is social media marketing. In these tracks, you may take classes like Social Media Communications, Surveys and Other Research Methods, and Brand Growth.

You’ll learn many marketing principles that apply both online and offline, and you’ll learn skills that are specific to social media marketing.

Are there Affordable Online Marketing Degree Programs Available?

Yes, earning an associate degree can be an affordable way to begin your college studies. Programs are sometimes available for around $200 to $400 per credit hour. Of course, there are some that are more expensive than others.

If low tuition is a priority for you, consider attending a community college or a state university. Financial aid, including grants, loans, and scholarships, can reduce your tuition load as well, along with an accelerated marketing degree.

What Jobs Can I Apply to After Getting a Marketing Associate Degree?

Sales and retail jobs can be an excellent way to get your start in the marketing field. With this college degree, you may be considered for store management positions. You could also apply for assistance or junior associate roles in advertising agencies, corporate marketing departments, or public relations departments.

You may also have the opportunity to work on an organization’s social media team.

Universities Offering Online Marketing Associate’s Degree Programs

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.