Key Takeaways:
- The top online master’s in marketing programs include St. Thomas University and Tiffin University, offering high value and ROI.
- Criteria for ranking these programs focused on 20-year ROI, program features, and tuition costs to ensure value for students.
- Graduates from these programs are well-prepared for careers as marketing managers, specialists, and directors in the industry.
When you decide to earn your online master’s in marketing it’s a good idea to look for online accelerated programs. This is because the faster you earn the degree the more relevant it is. If you earn the online master’s in marketing while working at the same time, you can apply the new knowledge instantaneously and you are prepared to move up in your company or explore other higher level options at a new company.
Accelerated online marketing programs are perfect for driven, decisive professionals who know what they want. The programs in our ranking all feature six to eight start-times per year, which means once you decide to earn the degree, you are never more than a couple of months from beginning classes. Many of the programs in our ranking can be completed in ten months to a year. Even the longer programs with more credits can be completed in less than a traditional two-year master’s program.
Featured Programs
You can find information on our methodology and answers to some frequently asked questions after the profiled ranking of these ten best affordable accelerated online master’s in marketing degree programs. If you want more information, we’ve got a great article on what makes marketing degrees worth their while.
#1. St. Thomas University
Online MBA in Marketing
This ten-month online MBA in marketing degree is offered through 7-week courses delivered fully online. With six start dates/terms per year, you’re never too far from starting, or finishing, your online graduate marketing degree. The tuition may look hefty, but all new MBA students are granted a scholarship that brings the price way down.
Students will take courses like international business, strategic marketing management, organizational behavior, and strategic brand management.
- Tuition: $14,999
- Duration of Program: 10 Months
#2. Tiffin University
Online MBA in Marketing
Tiffin’s ACBSP-accredited online MBA in marketing can be completed in just 11 months. Students can take two courses offered in six 7-week terms throughout the year.
Students will take courses like information systems for marketing, strategic brand management, global marketing management, marketing field analysis, strategic management, innovative decision making, and quantitative business analysis and research.
- Tuition: $12,600
- Duration of Program: 11 Months
#3. Regent University
MBA in Marketing Online
Regent is a Christian university that delivers an ACBSP-accredited, fast and cheap online marketing MBA. While no religious courses are required, the business courses are infused with Christian ethical perspective.
Students will take courses like marketing, viral marketing, the digital marketing landscape, information research and resources, business planning and launch, advertising and promotion, and consumer behavior – the psychology of marketing.
- Tuition: $12,726
- Duration of Program: 11 Months
#4. Saint Leo University
MBA in Marketing Online
The 12-month, ACBSP-accredited online marketing MBA offered by Saint Leo University comes with a scholarship amounting to $6,000 for each student.
Students will take courses like marketing research, brand management, e-marketing, global business management, strategic management, marketing innovations and new product development, sales management, and advertising and promotion.
- Tuition: $9,990
- Duration of Program: 12 Months
#5. University of Saint Mary
Online MBA in Marketing and Advertising
The IACBE-accredited 36-hour online MBA at St. Mary’s isn’t just fast (it can be completed in just 12 months), it’s also one of the most affordable MBAs in marketing available online.
Students will take courses such as: the advertising industry in the 21st century, buyer behavior and marketing research, and advanced marketing strategy and planning.
Upon graduation you will be prepared to advance in your career, taking jobs like marketing analyst, marketing manager or director, and brand manager.
- Tuition: $11,070
- Duration of Program: 12 Months
#6. Oklahoma Christian University
Online MBA in Marketing
The 12-month online graduate marketing degree at Oklahoma Christian University is one of nine MBA concentrations offered. This online marketing MBA is accredited by the ACBSP.
Students will take courses like marketing research, international marketing, e-commerce marketing and management, strategic management and change, marketing management and innovation, and ethics, decision making, and communication.
- Tuition: $13,992
- Duration of Program: 12 Months
#7. University of the Southwest
MBA in Marketing Online
University of the Southwest uses your professional and military training to shorten the duration of your online marketing MBA so that your master’s ends up being fast and cheap.
Students will take courses like IT for managers, strategic resource allocation and planning, innovation management, e-marketing, marketing concepts and strategies, small business marketing, and organizational design and strategy.
- Tuition: $14,376
- Duration of Program: 12 Months
#8. Concordia University Ann Arbor
MBA in Strategic Marketing
Students who graduate from the fast and cheap online MBA in strategic marketing degree at Concordia will be qualified for jobs like marketing manager, marketing strategist, and business intelligence analyst, among others.
The marketing electives that make up the concentration are seminar in consumer behavior, seminar in strategic marketing, integrated marketing communications, seminar in pharmaceutical marketing, social media marketing, and seminar in special topics.
- Tuition: $11,502
- Duration of Program: 16 Months
#9. Walsh University
Online MBA in Marketing
The online MBA in marketing at Walsh University is offered in the form of eight week courses. At 42 credits, the program is a little longer than many in our ranking, but it can still be completed in just 18 months.
What’s more, it’s the only AACSB-accredited program featured in our ranking, making it a unique and powerful choice. Students will take courses like marketing, marketing research, integrated marketing communication, social media marketing, services marketing, and analytics for business intelligence.
- Tuition: $12,330
- Duration of Program: 18 Months
#10. New England College
MBA in Digital Marketing Online
New England College partners with the Start Up Institute to offer this fast and cheap online digital marketing degree. Start Up Institute was rated #1 among digital marketing bootcamps in the United States for years.
The partnership combines the fast-paced, immersive bootcamp environment with the reputation of an established university graduate program.
Students will take their electives from the bootcamp and their core curriculum from the university. Bootcamp courses include foundations of digital marketing, branding using social media, and marketing immersion.
- Tuition: $13,080
- Duration of Program: 20 Months
Methodology
Our methodology for ranking the cheapest, fastest online graduate marketing programs was simple. First, we selected the 20 cheapest online graduate degrees in marketing. Then we ranked the top ten that were the fastest to complete. Ties were broken by giving the better ranking to whichever school was cheaper.
FAQs
What can I expect from earning a master’s in marketing?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing professionals earn median salaries along the lines of the following:
- Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers: $129,380
- Market Research Analysts: $63,230
- Advertising Sales Agents: $49,680
- Public Relations and Fundraising Managers: $111,280
- Sales Managers: $121,060
When should (or shouldn’t) you go for a cheap online master’s in marketing?
Most of the time these degrees focus on one of three areas. The first is integrating high level marketing concepts and knowledge with management techniques. The second is providing an opportunity for the student to more deeply specialize in one specific area of the marketing field. The third is to allow somebody already specialized to add another area of expertise to their portfolio.
So if you’re looking to move into management or executive positions, or specialize further in your area of expertise, then a master’s degree in marketing is a great choice for you. However, if you just graduated from your bachelor’s program, you definitely shouldn’t go straight into an online master’s in marketing program.
No matter what degree you hold, you need a certain amount of experience to progress in business. So if you earn your master’s too early in your career, it won’t help you advance and can even become outdated (consider the speed at which social media and technology generally evolves).
A master’s in marketing is something that can help you advance in your mid-to-late career when you’re looking for jobs at the top levels of the industry.
How do I pay for my fast online master’s in marketing?
Your first stop when searching for financial aid should always be FAFSA. This is where the bulk of everybody’s financial aid should be coming from. Federal education grants are essentially free money, and federally subsidized student loans have incredibly low interest and tons of great programs for paying them back, including loan forgiveness if you work at a non-profit for ten years.
After that, private grants and scholarships should be where you look. Finally, if all else fails and it’s your only option, you can apply for private student loans. Private loans tend to be the worst deal, and the most expensive form of funding. So make sure you exhaust other sources first.
Aside from federal and state student loans and grants, many employers offer professional development compensation to their employees. So you may be able to earn your master’s degree on your company’s dime! If your company pays for your degree, there is a pretty good chance they see it as worthwhile to invest in your advancement in the company, which means the new degree could also serve to pave the way for a promotion.
Is online learning right for you?
Online learning is beyond convenient for full-time workers. Most students who earn their master’s in marketing degrees online have begun their career and have both work and family concerns that require a higher level of flexibility from their program.
Online delivery is quickly becoming the best option for people looking to earn that master’s in marketing. However, despite the convenience of an online master’s in marketing, you should still ask yourself some questions before deciding to move forward.
Are you the kind of person who can learn by watching videos? Would you be comfortable taking tests online? Can you handle not having any face-to-face interaction with your professors and fellow students? Are you highly self-motivated and disciplined?
While online education is a powerful option, it’s not ideal for all students. However, if you need the flexibility and are comfortable with the format and technology, online education offers unprecedented levels of flexibility.
CVO Staff
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