Marketing vs Business Degree: Which is Better for Career Prospects? | Student Reviews & University Rankings EDUopinions

Marketing vs Business Degree: Which is Better for Career Prospects?

25/05/2022

Picking your degree is a huge decision, and there are plenty of factors that will influence your decision. One of the biggest is career prospects – you want to know that your degree will provide you with a good job in the end. So when it comes to a  marketing vs. business degree, which has the better career prospects?

There is certainly some overlap between marketing and business degrees. Both are concerned with sales and management, and you’ll learn similar skills on both. However, a business degree is broader, while marketing is a specific business niche. The degree you choose will also change the types of jobs you might apply for.

We’ve made it easy for you to choose between marketing vs. business degree by exploring the exact career opportunities available for each degree. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you’ll have a better idea of the degree that’s right for you.

Need help choosing a degree?
Get free advice

Marketing degree

Overview

What is Marketing Degree

Marketing is the study of selling and promoting products or services. With a marketing degree, you’ll explore areas like social media, print advertising, consumer trends, and target markets. You’ll learn how to best market a product and see its popularity grow.

Marketing stands at a crossroads between business and design. Students will study typical business topics like sales and market research, but also acquire skills in creating marketing materials like ads and social media posts. You may see two types of marketing courses available: a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc). A BA marketing degree will typically look at the creative side of the subject, while a BSc will take more of a technological and mathematical angle.

Job Opportunities

Marketing Career Prospects

Marketing, despite being a niche, is a reasonably broad subject. This means that there are a wide variety of job opportunities available to marketing graduates. The career path you choose can depend on your personal preferences: you might prefer social media over web advertising, or like analysing statistics rather than being on the design team.

Some of the most popular career paths for marketing graduates include:

  • Marketing Manager
  • Public Relations Officer
  • Social Media Manager
  • SEO Specialist
  • Art Director
  • Account Manager
  • Sales Manager

A Marketing degree can also prepare students for some of the jobs of the future. Aspects of a marketing degree like social media, algorithms, and consumer psychology will all provide skills that will be useful for future technology like AI and the metaverse.

However, the world of marketing is also competitive. To get your foot in the door, work experience is extremely valuable. Consider choosing a marketing degree that includes an internship as part of your curriculum. Additionally, some marketing skills are more in-demand than others. To excel in the job industry, it can help if you have technical skills like video production, Photoshop, web design, and SEO.

Business Degree

Overview

What is Business Degree

A business studies degree will prepare you for any and all aspects of working in a high-profile position in an organization. You’ll study subjects like accounting, finance, management, entrepreneurship, and marketing. Graduates of business degrees will primarily be skilled in leadership, allowing them to take over management of various departments in a business. However, students can also choose to specialise in other areas like human resources, sales, or banking.

Business degrees are offered by universities and specialised business schools. When choosing a business school, be careful to check your school’s area of specialisation. Some schools may have specific areas of knowledge like entrepreneurship or finance, leading to a greater likelihood of employment in that area.

As well as broad business studies degrees, some universities will offer specialised courses. These will give you the chance to study an area of business in more detail. For example, you could study Business & Economics, Business & Marketing, or International Business.

Job Opportunities

Job Opportunities After Business Degree

As with a marketing degree, a business degree opens up a myriad of job opportunities. Business graduates have a wide set of skills, including finessed soft skills like management and communication. This means both technical and managerial roles are open to you. Some of the most popular routes for business studies graduates include:

  • Accountant
  • Project Manager
  • Consultant
  • Analyst
  • Marketing Manager
  • Strategist

The continual growth of the technology sector is also fuelling jobs for business studies graduates. This is especially true for emerging technology like AI and blockchain. Startups in these areas are always on the lookout for graduates who have the technical skills to succeed in this niche. Overall, 54% of European recruiters expect demand for business school graduates to increase.

However, as a business degree isn’t as niche as a marketing degree, there is higher competition. This is true especially true of leadership roles, where some companies will prefer students to have specialised degrees like an MBA.

Marketing Vs Business Degree: Which is Best for career prospects?

Both marketing and business students will benefit from the growth of technology companies in the years to come. With a blend of both technical skills and soft skills like project management and communication, there are ample opportunities for business and marketing graduates.

But what about if you can’t decide between a marketing vs. business degree? In that case, it’s true that a broader business degree will keep your career options open. But if you already have a passion for social media or advertising, then a marketing degree is the right option for you.

Choosing between marketing vs. business degree ultimately comes down to your career preferences. Both degrees create a wealth of job opportunities, but if you prefer the creative side over management, then marketing might be a better choice. Or, if your dream is to be a powerful manager, then a business degree will help you get there.

Are you interested in a business degree?
Find out more!
Featured Content
Written by
Abigail
Abigail is a freelance writer specialising in higher education. She has lived in London and the Netherlands, and has a Masters degree in American Studies.

Recent Posts

Get our experts advice for free.
Contact us.
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our Privacy Policy for more details.
Close