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

First, some facts. Of the Marketing graduates from Illinois 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 19 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 58%, Marketing graduates from Illinois State University have a lower likelihood (-9%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

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

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Also, after graduating, only 0% 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:

• What jobs can you get with a Marketing degree from Illinois State University?
• What do Marketing graduates from Illinois State University do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Marketing degree from Illinois State University? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Marketing degree from Illinois State University?
• What are the best colleges for Marketing?

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

Relevance score: 39% We think this person has NOT gone into a career related to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2019 from Illinois State University with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Catering/Server HyVee Market Cafe May 2019 - Mar 2020 The Catering/Server position does not require marketing skills or knowledge, focusing instead on customer service and food service tasks. Marketing Intern Pollen and Pastry May 2019 - Mar 2020 As a Marketing Intern, this position directly applies marketing principles and skills that are essential to the individual's Bachelor's degree in Marketing. Billing Specialist COUNTRY Financial Mar 2020 - Jun 2022 The role of Billing Specialist primarily involves financial administration instead of marketing skills, making it unrelated to the marketing degree. Marketing Specialist/Leasing Event Coordinator TENTAC Enterprises Jul 2022 - Jun 2023 As a Marketing Specialist/Leasing Event Coordinator, the job relies heavily on marketing knowledge and skills, making it a strong match for the degree obtained. Sales Manager KingsLane Group May 2023 - Present In the role of Sales Manager, while some marketing principles may be helpful, the core responsibilities center around sales management rather than direct application of marketing knowledge. ABOUT No information provided.

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

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

• Account Manager
• Marketing Intern
• Project Manager
• Catastrophe Claim Representative
• National Account Manager
• Carrier Relations Manager
• Manager, Carrier Relations
• Senior Manager, Carrier Relations
• Sales Associate
• Front Desk Agent

When looking at the career paths of Illinois State University graduates with a degree in Marketing, it seems like there’s a mixed bag of job relevance. A lot of these grads ended up in positions like Account Managers, Marketing Specialists, and roles like Event Planner or Social Media Strategist, which are pretty closely connected to what they studied. These jobs usually require them to use marketing principles regularly, so they can flex their skills quite a bit. However, there are also plenty who went off into areas that don’t really utilize their marketing education, like the Football Player and various administrative roles. It's like, even if they have the degree, some just ended up in careers that didn’t really match what they learned.

In general, many of the roles these graduates have taken are relevant to marketing, focusing on account management, strategic marketing, and public relations. Yet, on the flip side, numerous jobs - especially in sales, logistics, or administrative support - often lean more towards general business practices rather than the specific marketing skills they acquired. So, while a good chunk of these grads found their way into marketing-related positions, there’s still a significant number who wandered into different fields that didn’t require their marketing expertise. Overall, it’s clear that a marketing degree can be flexible, but not everyone landed in a role directly tied to their studies!

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 Illinois State University):

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

It looks like graduates from Illinois State University’s Marketing program have had pretty diverse career paths after they finish school, and there’s definitely a mix of successes and a few folks who have taken some winding roads. Many of the early-career positions seem to be in roles directly related to marketing or business, like marketing specialists, account managers, and even event planners. For instance, several graduates kicked off their careers with internships that led them into marketing roles at companies like Groupon and Terraboost Media. Others went into positions at well-known firms like State Farm and Coyote Logistics, finding solid footing in functions that align well with their degrees.

Fast forward about five to ten years, and you can see a reasonable amount of career progression. A number of former students have climbed up the ladder into managerial or specialist positions in their fields—like the marketing manager at Fresenius Kabi, for example. On the flip side, some graduates have ended up in jobs that don't seem to connect closely with marketing, like administrative or even sales roles that could pull them away from their marketing focus. But overall, it looks pretty promising, with many ISU Marketing alumni finding or creating positions that leverage their education in marketing, even if not everyone remains strictly within that domain. There are definitely some bright spots showcasing successful careers relevant to marketing along the way!

How hard is a Marketing degree from Illinois State University?

So, here's the deal with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing at Illinois State University: it's pretty much in line with what you'd expect from any marketing program. It definitely has its challenging moments—like those group projects and analyzing consumer behavior—but overall, it's not considered super difficult compared to other majors. You’ll find a good mix of creative and analytical stuff, so if you enjoy thinking outside the box and crunching some numbers, you might find it manageable. Just be prepared to stay organized and keep up with assignments, but if you stay on top of things, you shouldn't find it too hard!

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 Illinois State University tend to make good money?

Looking at the career paths of these Illinois State University Marketing grads, it seems like some of them are really doing well, while others are still climbing the ladder. The guy who played in the NFL likely made decent money during that time, and those in management roles, especially at companies like Coyote Logistics and Fresenius Kabi, probably pull in a pretty good salary too. On the other hand, some roles, like servers or interns, don’t typically pay as much, especially at the start. Overall, it looks mixed—some are probably making great money, while others are still working their way up. It shows that with hard work and a bit of luck, you can definitely find good opportunities after graduation!

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 Illinois 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