Best Marketing Schools

Updated on April 8, 2024

Marketing is a dynamic and fast-paced field that requires creativity, analytical skills, and business acumen. An education from one of the top marketing schools can provide students with the knowledge, experience, and connections to launch a successful career. Here are 10 of the best undergraduate and graduate marketing programs in the United States.

Harvard Business School

Location: Boston, MA

Rating: 10/10

Acceptance Rate: 12%

Avg SAT Score: 1510

Tuition: $76,000 per year

Website: hbs.edu

The top-ranked business school in the world, Harvard Business School is renowned for its prestigious MBA program. The school takes an immersive, case study-based approach that pushes students to think critically and solve real-world business challenges. Graduates leave with a strong foundation in marketing and connections within Harvard’s vast global network.

Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

Location: Evanston, IL

Rating: 9.5/10

Acceptance Rate: 23%

Avg SAT Score: 1490

Tuition: $77,032 per year

Website: kellogg.northwestern.edu

The Kellogg School of Management is consistently ranked among the top five business schools in the nation. Its marketing department incorporates courses in consumer behavior, market research, branding, pricing strategy, and more. Students can pursue concentrations in analytical marketing, brand management, and integrated marketing communications.

MIT Sloan School of Management

Location: Cambridge, MA

Rating: 9.3/10

Acceptance Rate: 14%

Avg SAT Score: 1520

Tuition: $76,600 per year

Website: mitsloan.mit.edu

The MIT Sloan School of Management is acclaimed for its STEM-focused approach to business education. Students can pursue an MBA with a focus on marketing science, which covers data analytics, metrics, and marketing ROI. Sloan also offers a Certificate in Marketing Analytics for professionals looking to expand their skill set.

New York University Stern School of Business

Location: New York, NY

Rating: 9.1/10

Acceptance Rate: 23%

Avg SAT Score: 1480

Tuition: $71,824 per year

Website: stern.nyu.edu

NYU Stern has an excellent marketing department that takes advantage of its New York City location to connect students with world-class companies and alumni. Students can choose specializations in areas like luxury marketing, product management, and more. Stern also offers blended online and in-person degree options.

University of Pennsylvania Wharton School

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Rating: 9.5/10

Acceptance Rate: 20%

Avg SAT Score: 1520

Tuition: $63,426 per year

Website: wharton.upenn.edu

Wharton is consistently ranked the #1 business school in the nation by outlets like Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News. Its undergraduate and graduate marketing curriculums incorporate cutting-edge topics like digital marketing strategy, marketing analytics, and marketing management. Wharton also connects students to alumni like Elon Musk across every industry.

University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business

Location: Austin, TX

Rating: 8.5/10

Acceptance Rate: 23%

Avg SAT Score: 1360

Tuition: $38,992 per year (in-state)

Website: mccombs.utexas.edu

McCombs offers highly ranked undergraduate and graduate business programs with opportunities to focus on marketing. Its hands-on curriculum includes courses in areas like brand management, market research, advertising, and more. McCombs also connects students to the thriving startup, tech, and marketing scenes in Austin.

University of California Los Angeles Anderson School of Management

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Rating: 8.8/10

Acceptance Rate: 22%

Avg SAT Score: 1430

Tuition: $52,245 per year

Website: anderson.ucla.edu

UCLA Anderson incorporates the entertainment world into its marketing curriculum through concentrations like entertainment and media management. Students also get access to Anderson’s strong alumni network in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. Unique programs include the Easton Technology Leadership Program which combines an MBA with MS in engineering.

University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Rating: 9/10

Acceptance Rate: 35%

Avg SAT Score: 1450

Tuition: $65,392 per year

Website: michiganross.umich.edu

Michigan Ross offers an MBA with possible concentrations in areas like branding, pricing strategy, and more. Ross also provides opportunities to put classroom knowledge into practice, such as through the Multidisciplinary Action Projects course that has students work on business cases. Undergraduates can major or minor in business through the BBA program.

University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Rating: 8.7/10

Acceptance Rate: 33%

Avg SAT Score: 1370

Tuition: $34,588 per year (in-state)

Website: kenan-flagler.unc.edu

Kenan-Flagler is the top-ranked business school in North Carolina. Undergraduate students pursue concentrations in either marketing or entrepreneurship through the Business Administration program. At the graduate level, MBA students take courses in market research, pricing, and brand strategy and can participate in experiential learning opportunities.

University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Location: Charlottesville, VA

Rating: 9/10

Acceptance Rate: 30%

Avg SAT Score: 1465

Tuition: $59,500 per year

Website: darden.virginia.edu

Darden has an acclaimed MBA program that incorporates global immersion experiences at its campuses in Charlottesville and Northern Virginia. Marketing electives dive into areas like consumer behavior, digital marketing, and go-to-market strategies. Darden also offers Executive Education programs for professionals and online certificate courses.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should I major in for a marketing career?

The most relevant major for a marketing career is business, focusing on concentrations like marketing, advertising, PR, or communications. Useful minors include psychology, statistics, writing, and graphic design. Students can also dual major in business and a related field like computer science or analytics.

What skills are most important for marketing jobs?

Crucial skills for marketing include communication, creativity, analytical thinking, leadership, writing, public speaking, and flexibility. Knowledge of areas like branding, advertising, consumer behavior, digital channels, data and metrics is also very valuable to have.

How do I get marketing experience as a student?

Ways students can gain marketing experience include internships, consulting clubs, running social media for a campus organization, collaborating with professors on research, working part-time at an agency, freelancing, building an online portfolio, and competing in case competitions.

What types of marketing jobs are there?

Common marketing career paths include brand manager, account manager, marketing analyst, digital marketer, content strategist, search engine optimization specialist, PR manager, creative director, growth specialist, product marketer and more.

Is getting a marketing PhD worthwhile?

A PhD in marketing can be beneficial for those interested in an academic career teaching marketing concepts and theories. Holding a PhD can also lend additional credibility and expertise to those pursuing executive-level corporate positions or marketing consulting roles.

What are the highest paying marketing jobs?

The marketing positions with the highest earning potential include sales manager, product management executive, global marketing executive, chief marketing officer, marketing analytics director, branding consultant and venture capitalist.

Should I get an MBA for marketing?

While not always required, an MBA provides advanced training in areas like analytics, strategy, leadership and financial management that can be beneficial in marketing. An MBA also expands one’s professional network and signals credibility.

Is marketing a good career?

Yes, marketing provides the opportunity for a stimulating career that leverages creativity, psychology and analytics to connect with people and influence purchasing decisions. Marketers often enjoy autonomy, variety and opportunity for quick advancement with the right skills.

How competitive is it getting into top marketing programs?

Admissions to elite marketing programs at schools like Harvard and Northwestern is highly competitive, with acceptance rates often under 25%. Applicants should have stellar test scores, GPAs, internship experience and convey genuine interest in marketing.

Can I work in marketing with any degree?

While a business/marketing degree is preferred, opportunities in marketing are also open to those with degrees in communications, analytics, psychology, engineering or other fields paired with interest and relevant internship experience in marketing. Portfolio work can supplement a non-marketing degree.

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Rohit Mittal

Rohit Mittal is the co-founder and CEO of Stilt. Rohit has extensive experience in credit risk analytics and data science. He spent years building credit risk and fraud models for top U.S. banks. In his current role, he defines the overall business strategy, leads debt and capital fundraising efforts, leads product development, and leads other customer-related aspects for the company. Stilt is backed by Y Combinator and has raised a total of $275M in debt and equity funding to date.

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