An online master’s in marketing will take your industry career to the executive level. Leaders in marketing are tasked with overseeing and directing teams, financing projects, and analyzing data until organizational goals are achieved. Online marketing degree master programs are designed for professional advancement, providing courses from consumer behavior to brand management in flexible formats so you can work and learn on your time. The average chief marketing officer salary in the US sits at $176,130, according to Payscale. That’s over $100,000 more than a marketing manager might make in a year! Clearly, an online master’s in marketing can bolster a rewarding career in an exciting, ever-evolving field.
The career prospects, the salary, the promotional opportunity, those are great upsides of an online marketing degree. The downside? Communications, public relations, and marketing degrees can cost a small fortune—the most expensive charge over $74,000! Clearly, it pays to get educated before you enroll!
GetEducated compared 156 master’s programs in marketing, communications, and public relations from 109 regionally accredited online schools to create this ranking. Below is our editorially independent list of the 72 Best Buys for an affordable online master’s in marketing. All degrees cost less than the national tuition average for this subject area.
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide
Average Cost (In-state): ~$26,400
Least Expensive: East Carolina University ~$8,673.30
Most Expensive: Academy of Art University ~$74,168
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There’s no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest online master’s in marketing. The online marketing degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2022 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Most Affordable Online Master’s in Marketing
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | East Carolina University | (NC) | $8,673.30 $30,588.30 | In-State Out-of-State |
2 | Eastern New Mexico University | (NM) | $9,487.50 $12,420.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
3 | Arkansas State University | (AR) | $9,510.00 | All Students |
4 | Union Commonwealth University | (KY) | $10,250.00 | All Students |
5 | University of North Carolina-Wilmington | (NC) | $10,558.80 $33,607.20 | In-State Out-of-State |
6 | University of Iowa | (IA) | $11,268.00 | All Students |
7 | Montana State University-Billings | (MT) | $11,483.30 $19,001.90 | In-State Out-of-State |
8 | Fitchburg State University | (MA) | $12,024.00 | All Students |
9 | Missouri State University | (MO) | $12,885.00 | All Students |
10 | University of Central Missouri | (MO) | $13,128.50 | All Students |
11 |  University of West Alabama | (AL) | $13,185.00 | All Students |
12 | The University of Alabama | (AL) | $13,200.00 | All Students |
13 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | (NE) | $13,237.00 $20,041.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
14 | Southern Utah University | (UT) | $13,500.00 | All Students |
15 | Ball State University | (IN) | $14,352.00 $20,802.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
16 | University of Akron | (OH) | $14,484.00 $15,984.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
17 | Texas Tech University | (TX) | $14,575.00 | All Students |
18 | Texas A & M University - Commerce | (TX) | $14,744.00 $26,984.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
19 | The University of Alabama | (AL) | $15,700.00 | All Students |
20 | Troy University | (AL) | $15,750.00 | All Students |
20 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | (WI) | $15,750.00 | All Students |
22 | Eastern Illinois University | (IL) | $16,319.85 $31,124.31 | In-State Out-of-State |
23 | Ohio University | (OH) | $16,350.00 $16,920.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
24 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | (LA) | $16,500.00 | All Students |
25 | SUNY Buffalo State | (NY) | $16,698.00 $19,800.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
26 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | (MN) | $17,100.00 $12,600.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
27 | Morehead State University | (KY) | $18,045.00 | All Students |
28 | Northern Arizona University | (AZ) | $18,082.00 | All Students |
29 | Purdue University | (IN) | $18,114.00 $27,114.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
30 | West Texas A & M University | (TX) | $18,219.60 $33,558.84 | In-State Out-of-State |
31 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | (MN) | $18,615.96 | All Students |
32 | Washington State University | (WA) | $18,673.50 | All Students |
33 | University of Colorado Denver | (CO) | $18,780.00 $21,930.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
34 | Lindenwood University | (MO) | $18,845.00 | All Students |
35 | California Baptist University | (CA) | $19,110.00 | All Students |
36 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | (WI) | $19,560.00 | All Students |
37 | Austin Peay State University | (TN) | $19,560.75 $27,117.75 | In-State Out-of-State |
38 | Ashland University | (OH) | $19,650.00 | All Students |
39 | Liberty University | (VA) | $19,741.00 $9,175.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
40 |  Calvin University Master of Arts in Media & Strategic Communication 14 | (MI) | $19,800.00 | All Students |
41 | Sam Houston State University | (TX) | $19,866.60 | All Students |
42 | Capitol Technology University | (MD) | $19,890.00 $11,490.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
42 | National University (School Merged) Master of Arts in Strategic Communication 14 Master of Science in Marketing 14 | (CA) | $19,890.00 | All Students |
44 | Aurora University | (IL) | $20,440.00 $9,100.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
45 | Azusa Pacific University | (CA) | $20,770.00 | All Students |
46 | The University of Tennessee - Martin | (TN) | $20,823.00 $22,704.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
47 | Old Dominion University | (VA) | $20,960.00 $22,544.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
48 |  Liberty University | (VA) | $21,436.00 $10,000.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
49 |  Drake University | (IA) | $21,450.00 | All Students |
50 |  Notre Dame of Maryland University | (MD) | $21,705.00 | All Students |
51 | East Tennessee State University | (TN) | $21,960.00 $27,540.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
52 | Park University | (MO) | $22,265.00 $16,181.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
53 | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (part of Pennsylvania Western University) Master of Arts in Communication Studies 14 | (PA) | $22,521.60 $26,283.60 | In-State Out-of-State |
54 | Lasell University | (MA) | $22,536.00 | All Students |
55 |  Southern New Hampshire University | (NH) | $22,722.00 $17,070.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
56 | Bellevue University | (NE) | $23,060.00 | All Students |
57 | Spring Arbor University | (MI) | $23,140.00 | All Students |
58 | West Virginia University | (WV) | $23,148.00 | All Students |
59 | Central Connecticut State University | (CT) | $23,822.00 $24,284.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
60 | Mississippi College | (MS) | $23,831.00 | All Students |
61 | Regent University | (VA) | $24,050.00 $18,687.50 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
62 | Stevenson University | (MD) | $24,120.00 | All Students |
63 | Franklin University | (OH) | $24,205.00 $19,381.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
64 | Michigan State University | (MI) | $24,517.00 | All Students |
65 | West Virginia University | (WV) | $24,600.00 | All Students |
66 | University of Delaware | (DE) | $24,750.00 | All Students |
67 | Lake Erie College | (OH) | $24,900.00 | All Students |
68 | Sacred Heart University | (CT) | $25,275.00 | All Students |
69 | Loyola University New Orleans | (LA) | $25,751.00 | All Students |
70 | St. Bonaventure University | (NY) | $25,905.00 | All Students |
71 | University of Kentucky | (KY) | $26,006.90 | All Students |
72 | Marist College | (NY) | $26,100.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Illinois University | (IL) | $26,901.60 | All Students | |
University of Oklahoma | (OK) | $26,994.00 | All Students | |
Queens University of Charlotte | (NC) | $27,180.00 | All Students | |
Florida International University | (FL) | $27,500.00 | All Students | |
Lynn University | (FL) | $27,750.00 | All Students | |
Point Park University | (PA) | $28,080.00 | All Students | |
Webster University | (MO) | $28,180.00 $13,780.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Maryville University | (MO) | $28,404.00 | All Students | |
Pennsylvania State University | (PA) | $28,500.00 | All Students | |
Michigan State University | (MI) | $28,560.00 | All Students | |
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | (IL) | $28,736.00 | All Students | |
 Fairleigh Dickinson University | (NJ) | $28,928.00 | All Students | |
Regis University | (CO) | $29,740.00 | All Students | |
Gonzaga University | (WA) | $30,000.00 $27,000.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Pennsylvania State University | (PA) | $31,380.00 | All Students | |
University of Cincinnati | (OH) | $32,000.00 $32,480.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Rutgers University | (NJ) | $33,428.00 | All Students | |
Drexel University | (PA) | $33,750.00 $45,315.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Rider University Master of Arts in Business Communication 14 | (NJ) | $33,905.00 | All Students | |
Saint Joseph's University | (PA) | $34,200.00 | All Students | |
Temple University | (PA) | $34,946.00 $46,199.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Brandeis University | (MA) | $35,350.00 | All Students | |
DePaul University | (IL) | $35,650.00 | All Students | |
 University of Denver | (CO) | $35,904.00 | All Students | |
Pace University | (NY) | $36,060.00 | All Students | |
Marquette University | (WI) | $36,600.00 | All Students | |
Eastern Michigan University | (MI) | $37,100.60 | All Students | |
The University of Texas at Dallas | (TX) | $37,696.00 $69,596.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Quinnipiac University | (CT) | $37,860.00 | All Students | |
College of William and Mary | (VA) | $37,870.00 | All Students | |
St. Edward's University | (TX) | $38,360.00 | All Students | |
Rutgers University | (NJ) | $38,840.00 | All Students | |
Santa Clara University | (CA) | $40,068.00 | All Students | |
Academy of Art University | (CA) | $42,451.00 | All Students | |
Georgetown University | (DC) | $44,490.00 | All Students | |
 Johns Hopkins University | (MD) | $45,060.00 | All Students | |
The George Washington University | (DC) | $47,530.00 | All Students | |
Georgetown University | (DC) | $48,939.00 | All Students | |
American University | (DC) | $54,360.00 | All Students | |
American University | (DC) | $59,796.00 | All Students | |
Fordham University | (NY) | $59,824.00 | All Students | |
Johns Hopkins University | (MD) | $59,900.00 | All Students | |
Syracuse University | (NY) | $64,812.00 | All Students | |
University of Southern California | (CA) | $65,287.00 | All Students | |
Academy of Art University | (CA) | $74,168.00 | All Students |
Accreditation & Program Notes
To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
AACSB AACSB International
ACBSP Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Rankings Note
These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Winter 2021 review of regionally accredited online master’s in marketing. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online master degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.
The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note
Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a master’s degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest online schools for marketing may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best online master’s in marketing for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Career Guide: Online Master’s in Marketing
Marketing is a career that allows you to work in any industry. While many professionals work for marketing firms, you can apply your skills to exciting industries like sports, manufacturing, entertainment, healthcare, and more. If you already have an education in marketing or business, you should consider an online master’s in marketing. With this education, you’ll be prepared to enhance the marketing efforts for companies in all types of sectors.
What to Expect from an Online Master’s in Marketing
Marketing, perhaps more than any other career, relies on communication. Good advertising, marketing, and public relations needs to tell the audience something. Whether it’s a direct message about a product’s features, or an emotional appeal about a certain company or organization, it’s all about good communication.
For this reason, many of the online master’s in marketing that we have listed above are communication degrees. These include approaches to communication from many different angles.
Strategic communication, for example, is a common option. In strategic communication, you’ll learn the basics of influential communication, communication ethics, and how to use communication to guide decision making.
There is also organizational communication. Speaking with one person is far different than speaking to hundreds, thousands, or millions of people. This program teaches you how to be an effective communicator within an organization, how to present a message in the right way, and how to listen to people within the group.
Communication and leadership degrees are excellent for students who want to work in management. These degrees promote the value of communication among leaders of all types, including business and political leaders. It will help you develop a communication style that gets people behind your goals and working towards that same end.
You could also complete a degree focused on communication and technology. These types of online master’s in marketing degrees build your understanding of modern technology and how it can be leveraged for marketing and communication. Classes in this degree may include social media analytics, global communication, and web publishing.
Possible Careers after a Marketing Master’s Degree
Careers in marketing are some of the highest-paying yet most challenging jobs available. While you’ll face a variety of ongoing challenges, you’ll also have the skills to meet these challenges head on thanks to an online master’s in marketing.
Marketing Manager
- Salary: $141,490
- Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Experience: Some experience required
These managers are tasked with guiding advertising and marketing campaigns. Specific duties may include planning the campaign, hiring staff, negotiating contracts, and meeting with clients to determine their marketing needs.
This is one of the most financially-rewarding jobs in marketing, but it takes years of experience to be hired as a marketing manager. Most professionals in this career will need at least a few years of experience in marketing, sales, or advertising. While the requirements are high, there should be plenty of opportunities, as this career is expected to grow by 10% between 2020 and 2030.
Sales Manager
- Salary: $132,290
- Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Experience: Five years or less
As a sales manager, you won’t be responsible for selling products or services directly to customers. Instead, you’ll manage and lead sales team. Responsibilities in this career can take many forms, and may include preparing budgets, determining sales goals, analyzing performance, and creating plans to enhance sales in the near future.
To work in this career, you’ll need experience. Most sales managers will have roughly five years of experience before being hired in this profession. Prior experience is usually within the same industry; for example, if you want to be a sales manager in manufacturing material, previous experience as a sales associate in manufacturing is best.
Experience & Certification Requirements for Marketing Careers
Marketing careers rarely have licensing requirements; you won’t have to go through state-mandated programs to work as a marketing associate or manager. Voluntary certificates, however, can be extremely useful. Many organizations offer certificates in different specialties, including advertising, leadership, sales practices, and more. These can help improve your career and could lead to larger salaries.
If you plan on working as a leader or manager in marketing or communication, you’ll need experience. Employers typically prefer candidates who have at least five years of experience with the company. This experience helps them understand the industry so they can guide team members to higher levels of success. While an online master’s in marketing is extremely useful, experience is a requirement for most management careers.