What can you do with a Marketing degree from Grand Valley State University?

First, some facts. Of the Marketing graduates from Grand Valley State University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 30 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? On par with the average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 67%, Marketing graduates from Grand Valley State University have about the same likelihood of finding work in this field as the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 67%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, only 3% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Marketing graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

View a random Marketing graduate from Grand Valley State University and our analysis:


Relevance score: 70%

We think this person has gone into a career only somewhat relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2012 from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Marketing. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Sales
All Phase Electric
Jan 2013 - Sep 2014
The sales position at All Phase Electric does not require specific marketing skills or knowledge, focusing instead on general sales and customer interaction.

Company Owner
Waldecker Homes
Oct 2014 - Dec 2016
As the owner of Waldecker Homes, this role likely involves significant marketing strategies and business management skills that align closely with the B.B.A. in Marketing.

Chief Operations Officer
24Restore
Dec 2016 - May 2019
The Chief Operations Officer role at 24Restore strongly utilizes marketing and management skills, directly relevant to the knowledge obtained in a B.B.A. in Marketing.

Project Manager
Portland Building Co
May 2019 - Nov 2022
The Project Manager position at Portland Building Co may involve project and personnel management that can benefit from marketing principles, but it primarily focuses on construction and operational management, which are not core qualifications of a marketing degree.

Company Owner
Waldecker Custom Homes
Nov 2022 - Present
The ownership of Waldecker Custom Homes entails utilizing marketing and business management strategies, making it highly applicable to the B.B.A. in Marketing.

ABOUT

I am a hard working, dedicated, and motivated individual who is constantly seeking opportunities that are both challenging and rewarding.www.waldeckerhomes.com

What jobs can you get with a Marketing degree from Grand Valley State University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


When looking through all these job titles from Grand Valley State University graduates with Marketing degrees, it’s clear that there's a wide range of positions they’ve taken on. Some of the more common roles include Account Managers and Sales positions, where guys often use their marketing knowledge to understand customer needs and enhance communication. However, many of the jobs also lean heavily towards sales, recruitment, or management roles that don't completely utilize core marketing principles. For example, jobs as Retail Managers or Recruiters often dabble in marketing strategies but primarily focus on operational functions rather than pure marketing functions.

Overall, while some graduates of the Marketing program at Grand Valley have secured positions directly tied to marketing – like Marketing Specialists or Marketing Managers – a significant number have ended up in roles where their marketing knowledge isn’t fully utilized. This means that while they valued their Marketing education, they may also find themselves relying more on broader skills like communication and sales management. It’s a mixed bag for sure, but it shows that a degree in marketing can lead to a variety of paths, even ones that don’t fit the traditional marketing mold.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Marketing graduates (this is across all Marketing graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Grand Valley State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Marketing graduates from Grand Valley State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Alright, let’s take a look at the career paths of graduates from Grand Valley State University with a Marketing degree. When it comes to their first jobs after graduating, many start off in roles like marketing internships, sales positions, or support roles, often exploring various aspects of marketing and business. For instance, the 2010 graduate kicked things off as a marketing intern and then transitioned into retail management and recruitment roles. Those from more recent years, like 2022 and 2021, have landed roles like marketing support specialists or account managers, showing a trend where newer grads are jumping directly into more focused marketing jobs right away.

Fast forward five to ten years, and it’s clear that some graduates have successfully climbed the ladder into more specialized positions. A lot of them seem to stick with marketing-related jobs, ranging from marketing coordinators to account executives, or even starting their own businesses. For example, a 2012 grad became a COO and later owned a construction company, while others have become senior analysts or account managers at reputable firms. However, it’s also evident that not all paths are direct; some have veered into sales and management in unrelated fields like logistics or insurance. Overall, while many graduates have found their niche in the marketing world, there’s still a mix of successes and some who have drifted into different industries. So, if you're considering this path, there's definitely potential for a solid career, especially if you're open to exploring various roles along the way!

How hard is a Marketing degree from Grand Valley State University?

Honestly, getting a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing at Grand Valley State University isn’t super easy, but it’s not the hardest degree out there either. You’ll definitely have to put in some effort—expect a mix of creative projects, group work, and analytical assignments that require you to think critically about consumer behavior and market trends. It’s a solid program, and while some classes can be challenging, especially if you're not into numbers, many students find it engaging and manageable. So if you're reasonably organized and ready to dive into topics like digital marketing and branding, you'll probably do just fine!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Marketing.

Do Marketing graduates from Grand Valley State University tend to make good money?

Looking at these Grand Valley State University Marketing grads, it seems like they’ve mostly been doing pretty well for themselves, especially as they've climbed up the career ladder over the years. Many have moved into solid positions like Account Managers and Chief Operations Officers, which generally come with decent paychecks. However, some of the earlier jobs, like internships or entry-level retail positions, likely didn't pay as much. Overall, while not everyone skyrocketed to financial greatness right off the bat, it appears that many are building up their careers steadily and finding good opportunities, which is a solid sign for their financial futures!

What buzzwords do Marketing graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Marketing (this is across all Marketing graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Grand Valley State University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Marketing?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Marketing (ordered by the average relevance score of their Marketing graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
Gonzaga University 84 10
University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business 81 13
Florida International University - College of Business 78 12
University of Wisconsin-Madison 76 17
University of Florida 75 18
University of Arizona 75 11
Portland State University 75 13
California State University, Long Beach 75 14
Bowling Green State University 74 13
LIM College 74 14
Michigan State University 73 11
Rider University 73 16
University of Colorado Boulder 72 15
Minnesota State University, Mankato 72 16
Bentley University 72 21
The Ohio State University 71 17
Fairfield University 71 11
John Carroll University 71 10
Florida State University 70 44
University of Kentucky 70 18
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 70 16
Davenport University 70 17
The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business 70 29
Brigham Young University - Idaho 69 11
The University of Georgia 69 14
University of Delaware 69 17
Iowa State University - Ivy College of Business 69 10
Iowa State University 68 10
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 68 14
University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management 68 15
Colorado State University 67 17
Grand Valley State University 67 30
Georgia State University 67 29
Kean University 67 15
Loyola Marymount University 67 19
Lindenwood University 67 11
California State University, Fullerton 66 26
University of Iowa 66 15
Old Dominion University 66 12
University of Nevada-Las Vegas 66 16
Indiana Wesleyan University 66 10
Loyola University Maryland 66 15
Arizona State University - W. P. Carey School of Business 66 14
Texas Tech University - Rawls College of Business 66 12
Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business 66 14
Penn State University 65 50
Florida International University 65 24
Southern New Hampshire University 65 28
Auburn University 65 14
Oregon State University 65 12
The University of Texas at San Antonio 65 34
The University of Alabama 65 31
Virginia Tech 65 12
Utah Valley University 65 11
Eastern Michigan University 65 19
California State University, Chico 65 10
Seton Hall University 65 10
University of Houston 64 13
San Diego State University 64 32
Virginia Commonwealth University 64 15
University of North Carolina at Greensboro 64 16
Florida Gulf Coast University 64 10
University of Central Missouri 64 12
University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business 64 12
East Carolina University 63 17
California State University, Northridge 63 27
University of Arkansas 63 33
Appalachian State University 63 14
College of Charleston 63 15
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 63 16
University of Dayton 63 15
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 63 15
University of Cincinnati College of Business 63 11
University of South Florida 62 62
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 62 20
Boise State University 62 16
North Dakota State University 62 14
University of Nevada, Reno 62 13
The University of Southern Mississippi 62 14
Providence College 62 13
University of Central Florida 61 67
Texas A&M University 61 40
Louisiana State University 61 29
Miami University 61 28
University of Illinois at Chicago 61 11
San Diego State University-California State University 61 18
University of Louisville 61 23
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay 61 14
Western Governors University 60 38
Kent State University 60 21
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 60 23
Central Michigan University 60 14
Florida Atlantic University 60 25
Ball State University 60 17
Montclair State University 60 13
California State University-Fullerton 60 12
University of North Carolina at Wilmington 60 10
Wichita State University 60 11
Salisbury University 60 11
Monmouth University 60 12
Columbus State University 60 10
Siena College 60 17
James Madison University 59 24
University of Pittsburgh 59 16
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 59 24
Kennesaw State University 59 22
Georgia Southern University 59 20
DePaul University 59 17
Northern Illinois University 59 23
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 59 46
Columbia College Chicago 59 12
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 59 21
Quinnipiac University 59 16
Southeastern Louisiana University 59 10
University of Montana 59 11
University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business 59 14
Texas State University 58 33
Illinois State University 58 19
West Virginia University 58 23
Rowan University 58 16
West Chester University of Pennsylvania 58 19
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 58 15
Eastern Illinois University 58 13
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 58 15
University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business 58 11
University of North Texas 57 44
The University of Texas at Arlington 57 12
University of Oklahoma 57 12
Baylor University 57 12
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 57 11
California State University, Fresno 57 16
The University of Akron 57 17
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania 57 10
Cleveland State University 57 14
Hofstra University 57 15
University of San Diego 57 12
University of Georgia - Terry College of Business 57 26
Roger Williams University 57 11
Pace University - Lubin School of Business 57 10
University of Missouri-Columbia 56 28
Missouri State University 56 16
Baruch College 56 25
University of San Francisco 56 11
University of St. Thomas 56 16
Sacred Heart University 56 15
Jacksonville State University 56 10
University of Phoenix 55 29
San Jose State University 55 30
Towson University 55 25
Western Washington University 55 15
Stephen F. Austin State University 55 12
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 55 10
Temple University - Fox School of Business and Management 55 12
Liberty University 54 10
San Francisco State University 54 33
Texas Tech University 54 17
Wright State University 54 14
Indiana University - Kelley School of Business 54 17
Bryant University 54 16
University of Washington 53 10
Indiana University Bloomington 53 16
Grand Canyon University 53 18
University of Cincinnati 53 23
Clemson University 53 29
University of North Florida 53 17
California State University San Marcos 53 13
University of Central Oklahoma 53 10
State University of New York College at Oswego 53 10
Ohio University 52 15
Kansas State University 52 28
Mississippi State University 52 21
Loyola University Chicago 52 10
Coastal Carolina University 52 25
Sonoma State University 52 11
Temple University 51 20
Oklahoma State University 51 40
Western Michigan University 51 11
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale 51 17
Northern Kentucky University 51 16
The College of New Jersey 51 17
University of North Georgia 51 11
Northwood University 51 14
Florida State University - College of Business 51 16
California State University-Long Beach 50 12
Johnson & Wales University 50 11
University of West Georgia 50 16
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 50 21
Kennesaw State University - Michael J. Coles College of Business 50 12
California State University-Northridge 49 19
University of Alabama 49 15
University of Tampa 49 15
University of Northern Colorado 49 11
University of Denver 49 10
Georgia Gwinnett College 48 11
Washington State University 47 15
The University of Texas at Dallas 47 17
Sam Houston State University 47 13
Oakland University 47 20
Radford University 47 13
Saint Joseph's University 47 14
Louisiana Tech University 46 12
Indiana University of Pennsylvania 45 17
Suffolk University 45 12
Fox School of Business at Temple University 45 14
University of Mississippi 44 18
East Tennessee State University 44 17
California State University-San Bernardino 43 10
California State University-Los Angeles 43 11
St. Cloud State University 43 12
The University of Memphis 42 10
Tarleton State University 41 13
University of South Alabama 38 10
Metropolitan State University of Denver 37 12
New Mexico State University 33 11
Abilene Christian University 29 11