Marketing Major

College Majors Business Major
1

Hello

I am currently a sophomore in high school and beginning to think about college majors. I am wondering if Marketing is a good major. I think it would be interesting to research consumer behavior and analyze the market to increase sales. I have a few concerns/questions with this major.

  1. What kind of degree would be needed to get a good job right out of college?
  2. What kind of job can I expect to get right out of college?
  3. Is it difficult to find a job with this degree?
  4. What kind of classes should I take in high school to prepare for this type of major?

Thank you

2

Should I rephrase my question? Is it a stupid/irrelevant question?

3

It is just too early to be thinking about it. You don’t have to declare a major until the end of your sophomore year in college – four years from now. I’d suggest applying to business schools since that is where you interest seems to be. When you start college you will take business core classes in a variety of fields (marketing, accounting, IT, management etc.) where you can learn more about different areas of business and get a better sense of where your interests and aptitudes lie.

In terms of classes now – unless your HS has a business program, there is nothing much you need to take – calculus senior year would be a plus, and economics and/or statistics (if offered) could be options but they are not really necessary (most people take it them college). Just focus on becoming a solid overall student.

4
  1. You can pursue a career in marketing by majoring in general business administration, marketing, psychology, statistics, communications, etc. It depends on what career path within marketing you want to pursue and you will probably develop more insight into this during your first two years of college.
  2. Marketing is really broad but it sounds like you want to pursue a career in market research at least initially.
  3. Not if you are asking this in terms of the state of the economy. Every company needs marketing professionals because every company needs to generate revenue. Right now, market research especially across the digital landscape is in high demand as the field is becoming more integrated with engineering, statistics, and big data. Many companies are behind the curve at the moment in terms of analyzing their consumer audience because the progression and accessibility to data has surpassed most marketing workforces.
  4. High school classes won't directly affect your career prospects. If your college applications require you to declare intended majors and you want to reflect an interest in marketing then beyond the core classes, I would pursue any electives or AP level classes in mathematics, statistics, business, economics, etc.