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Curriculum & Coursework

Our programs are full-time degree programs which officially begin in August. Students are expected to complete their program in five years. Typically, the first two years are spent on coursework, at the end of which students take a field exam, and then another three years on dissertation research and writing.

The Marketing program draws on computer science, economics, behavioral science, and psychological methods to focus on marketing problems faced by the firm and its management. Through a combination of discipline- and field-based methods, the curriculum enables students to master concepts and research skills directly relevant to business problems. Candidates must come to understand the point of view of practicing managers and be able to bring theory and careful research to bear in illuminating important business problems.

The program requires a minimum of 13 semester-long doctoral courses. Students in the Marketing program are required to complete a year-long discipline sequence typically in microeconomics or psychology. They also complete courses in the areas of machine learning, computer science, statistics, research methods, academic field seminars, and two MBA elective curriculum courses. In addition to HBS courses, students often take courses at other Harvard Schools and MIT.

Research & Dissertation

Students in Marketing begin research in their first year typically by working with a faculty member. By their third and fourth years, most students are launched on a solid research and publication stream. The dissertation may take the form of three publishable papers or one longer dissertation.

Recent examples of doctoral thesis research include: The effects of brand extensions on the value of parent brands; Multi-method examination of the consumption of “knockoffs” of high status brands, and the counter-intuitive positive outcomes for consumer-brand relationships; Competitive analysis of pricing and quality decisions in industries with strictly complimentary products; The psychological effects of pricing, and how these affect consumers and firms; and "Choice amnesia," the motivated forgetting of difficult decisions.

marketing phd reddit

Mengjie "Magie" Cheng

marketing phd reddit

Ta-Wei "David" Huang

“ Finding an advisor who you really click with and who is willing to support your research interests is absolutely key. ”

marketing phd reddit

Current HBS Faculty

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Current Marketing Students

  • Stuti Agarwal
  • Mengjie (Magie) Cheng
  • Jingpeng Hong
  • Ta-Wei (David) Huang
  • Jimin Nam
  • Lucy Shen
  • Sihan Zhai

Current HBS Faculty & Students by Interest

Recent placement, emily prinsloo, 2023, ximena garcia-rada, 2021, serena hagerty, 2022, dafna goor, 2020, byungyeon kim, 2022, grant donnelly, 2018.

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The marketing faculty embrace research traditions grounded in psychology and behavioral decision-making, economics and industrial organization, and statistics and management science.

These traditions support research inquiries into consumer behavior, firm behavior, the development of methods for improving the allocation of marketing resources, and understanding of how marketing works in a market setting.

A small number of students are accepted into the PhD Program in marketing each year, with a total of about 18 marketing students in residence. Student-faculty relationships are close, both professionally and socially. This permits the tailoring of the program of study to fit the background and career goals of the individual.

A marketing student’s program of study usually includes several doctoral seminars taught by marketing faculty, some doctoral seminars taught by other Stanford GSB faculty, and a considerable number of graduate-level courses in related departments outside the business school, depending on a student’s particular area of investigation.

The field is often broken down into two broad subareas: behavioral marketing and quantitative marketing.

Behavioral Marketing

Behavioral marketing is the study of how individuals behave in consumer-relevant domains. This area of marketing draws from social psychology and behavioral decision theory and includes a wide variety of topics such as:

  • Decision making
  • Attitudes and persuasion
  • Social influence
  • Motivation and goals
  • New technologies
  • Consumer neuroscience
  • Misinformation

Students in this track take classes in behaviorally oriented subjects within Stanford GSB and also in the Psychology Department . All students have the opportunity to interact with Stanford GSB faculty in every group and, indeed, across the Stanford campus.

Behavioral Interest Group

There is also a formal institutional link between the behavioral side of marketing and the micro side of organizational behavior , which is called the Behavioral Interest Group. The Stanford GSB Behavioral Lab links members of this group. This lab fosters collaborative work across field boundaries among those with behavioral interests.

The Behavioral Lab is an interdisciplinary social research laboratory open to all Stanford GSB faculty and PhD students. The lab’s research primarily spans the fields of organizational behavior and behavioral marketing, and covers a rich and diverse array of topics, including attitudes and preferences, consumer decision-making, group dynamics, leadership, morality, power, and prosocial behavior.

Preparation and Qualifications

A background in psychology and experience with experimental methods and data analysis provide optimal preparation for students pursuing the behavioral track, though students from a variety of backgrounds have performed well in the program.

Quantitative Marketing

The quantitative marketing faculty at Stanford emphasize theoretically grounded empirical analysis of applied marketing problems. This line of inquiry draws primarily on fundamentals in applied microeconomic theory, industrial organization, and econometrics and statistics.

Questions of interest include:

Investigating consumer choices and purchase behavior

Examining product, pricing, advertising, and promotion strategies of firms

Analyzing competition in a wide range of domains

Development and application of large-scale experimentation, high-dimensional statistics, applied econometrics and big-data methods to solve marketing problems

A common theme of research is the use of rigorous quantitative methods to study important, managerially relevant marketing questions.

Cross-Campus Collaboration

Students in this track take common classes in quantitatively oriented subjects with others at Stanford GSB, as well as the Economics and Statistics Departments. All Stanford GSB students have the opportunity to interact with Stanford GSB faculty in every group and, indeed, across the Stanford campus.

Solid training in economics and statistical methods, as well as programming skills, offers a distinct advantage for quantitative marketing students, but students from various backgrounds such as engineering, computer science, and physics have thrived in the program.

Faculty in Behavioral Marketing

Jennifer aaker, szu-chi huang, jonathan levav, zakary tormala, s. christian wheeler, faculty in quantitative marketing, kwabena baah donkor, wesley r. hartmann, sridhar narayanan, navdeep s. sahni, emeriti faculty, james m. lattin, david bruce montgomery, michael l. ray, itamar simonson, v. “seenu” srinivasan, recent publications in marketing, when the one true faith trumps all: low religious diversity, religious intolerance, and science denial, express: using price promotions to drive children’s healthy choices in a developing economy, regulating privacy online: an economic evaluation of the gdpr, recent insights by stanford business, in a polarized world, an open mind can hurt your reputation, a little fun — and a discount — can steer kids to healthier foods, what people really think about search engine ads. (you might be surprised.).

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PhD | Marketing

marketing phd reddit

The Ph.D. in Marketing

Stern’s Ph.D. program in marketing trains students to perform research in a broad array of behavioral areas such as consumer psychology, information processing, and judgment and decision making. The program also teaches students how to conduct research that develops econometric and statistical models to investigate consumer, firm, and market phenomena. The behavioral work in the department emphasizes experimental methodologies while the marketing science research focuses on structural models and Bayesian analyses. Applications of theory focus on current topics such as branding, social networks and media, word of mouth, and the use of digital media. The department is proud of a long tradition of close collaboration between doctoral students and faculty members.

Explore Marketing

Discover our other fields of study.

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Top 10 Best PhD in Marketing Programs in the US [2024]

Lisa Marlin

How deep do you want to dive into the ever-growing marketing field? A marketing background is a lucrative education choice that brings you applicable expertise for any industry. These days, marketing managers  make upwards of $130,000 per year. A master’s in marketing  is a great start.

But a PhD in marketing takes your career to the highest levels, though not only for individual businesses. You can take that expertise and dive deeper into research or pursue a teaching career in academia.

What are the best marketing PhD programs, and where can you find them? We’ve put together a solid list that even includes online marketing PhD programs for you to choose from!

Table of Contents

Best Marketing PhD Programs and Schools

Arizona state university, w. p. carey school of business, phd in marketing.

Arizona State University logo

ASU was ranked no. 1  by the US News and World Report on its list of the most innovative schools. In this PhD marketing program, you can choose between three tracks: consumer behavior, quantitative marketing models, and service strategy. There are also core courses shared by all streams, which cover research methods and marketing models.

  • Duration: 5 years
  • Tuition : $11,720 per year
  • Acceptance rate: 88.4%
  • Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Harvard University, Harvard Business School

Harvard University logo

Harvard University is a world-renowned Ivy League  university known for its strength in research. This program draws on various disciplines, such as research methods, statistics, computer science , machine learning, and field seminars. After the first two years, students can embark on their dissertation. Although the Harvard Business School offers this program, doctorate candidates can also collaborate with other Harvard schools and MIT.

  • Courses: 13
  • Tuition : $50,928
  • Acceptance rate: 5%
  • Location: Boston, Massachusetts

The University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin School of Business

University of Wisconsin logo

The Wisconsin School of Business has a strong reputation for its excellent faculty and reasonable tuition. The school’s core research areas for their marketing PhD are quantitative modeling, marketing strategy, and consumer behavior. Interested in a research position at a university, or teaching a specialized course? You’ll find many network opportunities if you enroll in this prorgam.

  • Tuition: Refer tuition page
  • Acceptance rate: 57.2%
  • Location: Madison, Wisconsin

Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business

Phd program in marketing.

Carnegie Mellon University logo

Carnegie Mellon University is based in Pittsburgh but has campuses all over the world. Their marketing PhD program covers topics like brand-choice models, marketing/operations interface, and theories of consumer behavior. Students are supported by excellent faculty to pursue quality research in specialty areas like behavioral and experimental economics , high-tech marketing, and two-sided market pricing.

  • Duration: 4 to 5 years
  • Tuition : $47,000 per year
  • Acceptance rate: 17.3%
  • Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The University of Colorado Boulder, Leeds School of Business

University of Colorado logo

The University of Colorado Boulder is the flagship institution of the University of Colorado system and has nine schools and colleges offering around 150 programs. Its PhD in marketing is an advanced degree covering experimental and statistical methods, predictive modeling, quantitative marketing, and theory building, with crucial courses built around consumer behavior and quantitative modeling.

  • Tuition : $2,811 per credit
  • Acceptance rate: 84.2%
  • Location: Boulder, Colorado

The University of Missouri, Robert J. Trulaske Sr. College of Business

University of Missouri logo

The University of Missouri is a public land-grant university that offers high-quality but affordable education. Its PhD program in marketing focuses on developing teaching and research skills and helps students prepare for careers in various research settings. The program offers small class sizes and promotes a collaborative environment.

  • Semester hours: 72
  • Tuition : $414.60 per credit hour
  • Acceptance rate: 81.8%
  • Location: Cornell Hall | Columbia, Missouri

Florida International University, College of Business

Phd in business administration (marketing).

Florida International University logo

FIU College of Business is a world-renowned institution that falls within the top 5% of elite business schools globally and has been ranked second  in the nation for international business programs. Its PhD in Business Administration with a focus on marketing equips students with the knowledge necessary to establish successful careers in academics and research. The program’s key courses include marketing research methodology, advanced data analysis, and statistical methods in consumer research.

  • Duration: 4 years
  • Tuition : $10,935.36 per year
  • Location: Miami, Florida

Drexel University, LeBow College of Business

Drexel University logo

Drexel University is a well-known private research institution and center of higher learning that emphasizes experiential learning. Its PhD in marketing program covers both the macro and micro aspects of marketing, though with a greater focus on the microelements. You can also choose between electives in economics-oriented or behavior-oriented subjects. Economics-oriented courses include econometrics and advanced microeconomics, while behavior-oriented includes multivariate analysis, and behavioral science research.

  • Tuition : $2,000 per credit hour
  • Acceptance rate: 77.2%
  • Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Liberty University

Online doctor of business administration (dba) – marketing.

Liberty University logo

Looking for online marketing doctoral programs? Liberty University offers various fully online programs flexible enough for working professionals. Its DBA program in marketing includes strategic marketing management, supply chain management, marketing research, and marketing promotions. As one of the only fully-online marketing PhD programs available, it is ideal for working professionals who want to keep a balance between work and study. The program also lets you transfer up to 50% of credits from previous degrees.

  • Credit hours: 60
  • Duration: 3 years (average)
  • Tuition : $595 per hour
  • Acceptance rate: 50.1%

Grand Canyon University, College of Doctoral Studies

Doctor of business administration (dba): marketing (quantitative research).

Grand Canyon University logo

Grand Canyon University is the largest private Christian university with almost 100,000 students. Unlike a qualitative DBA, which attempts to analyze topics using insights into how and why people think and behave, this quantitative DBA focuses on analysis by interpreting numeric data. This online doctorate in marketing includes courses about quantitative data collection and analysis, the complexity of marketing, and digital technology (a PhD in digital marketing is a great specialty!) and consumer behavior.

  • Credits: 60
  • Tuition : $702 per credit
  • Acceptance rate: 80.7%

Should I Get a Doctorate in Marketing?

With a doctorate in marketing, you’ll be eligible for various high-level roles in academia, business, and research. These positions can offer salaries anywhere from $55,000 to $155,000, making the degree a valuable qualification for your CV.

Of course, like any discipline or program, a marketing PhD has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Having a PhD in Marketing:

  • Excellent career prospects:

A PhD in marketing will qualify you for roles at the highest levels of business management, which you otherwise might not access with a master’s alone. Alternatively, you use this degree to pursue a career in academia and research.

  • Job opportunities in academia:

A PhD is a prerequisite if you want to teach marketing at a post-secondary level or pursue certain research career paths.

  • Scope for innovation:

A PhD in marketing helps you contribute to advances in the field, especially in cutting-edge areas like artificial intelligence and natural language processing. In contrast, a master’s degree has a smaller scope for research.

Drawbacks of a PhD in Marketing:

  • You have to wait to launch your career:

Studying a PhD is a serious time investment: it takes around five years to complete for most people. Of course, this is after you’ve already completed your bachelor’s and master’s degrees, so it will take you an average of 11 years before the degree brings you higher on the career ladder.

  • It’s a balancing act:

By the time you start your PhD, you might have a family to take care of. As a result, managing your studies, research, and family could be a challenge.

How to Choose a Marketing Doctoral Program?

With so many options, you might have trouble picking from the top marketing PhD programs. Here are some essential factors to consider before deciding:

1. Your career goals

You might be able to build a worthwhile career in marketing with a master’s degree . But for heavy research and academic or teaching work, you’ll need a PhD. If you’re not interested in teaching or research, you might reconsider the time and financial commitment needed to complete a marketing PhD.

2. Accreditation

Check each school you’re considering for their regional accreditation. Some marketing programs may even have programmatic accreditation to look out for. This is an important factor in picking a reputable program that’s attractive to potential employers.

3. Mode of delivery

If you’re already a working professional, full-time, on-campus study might not be an option for you. In this case, you must look for a PhD in marketing online that offers remote learning and flexibility.

These are just a few ideas to keep in mind. Weigh all your options and listen to your gut feeling in the end.

Alternatives to a Marketing Major

Marketing is a specialized discipline with well-defined objectives, needing specific skillsets. However, in today’s interconnected world, various disciplines share many of the same concepts.

You can still build a high-level career in marketing with qualifications in different fields, like:

  • Advertising
  • Data analytics
  • Strategic management
  • Analytical management
  • Production management

Careers with a PhD in Marketing

A PhD in marketing can open doors to various top-level roles.

Here are some of the most common roles for professionals with a marketing doctorate, with the median annual salaries for each:

  • Marketing Manager ( $67,696 )
  • Market Research Analyst ( $55,742 )
  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ( $156,413 )
  • Professor (Marketing) ( $89,181 )

What Do You Need to Get into a Marketing Doctoral Program?

Every marketing PhD program has specific admission requirements. Always double-check by referring to the admission webpage or contacting a school representative. Usually, a master’s degree in a related field is required for admission.

Most programs will also require:

  • A statement of purpose , research proposal, or both
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Academic resume
  • GRE/GMAT scores may or may not be required

PhD Marketing vs. Master’s Degree: Which is Better?

A master’s degree in marketing is a career-oriented qualification that can propel you into a meaningful marketing career for a variety of corporations or small businesses. On other hand, marketing PhD programs are generally research-based and will give you more specialized knowledge that equips you for a career in the academic sphere.

PhDs also require a much more significant time and financial commitment.

PhD in Marketing FAQs

What can you do with a phd in marketing.

Popular career choices for marketing PhD grads include market research analysts, chief marketing officers, and marketing professors. This advanced degree will not only equip you for roles in senior management, but also the fields of research and academia.

How Many Years is a PhD in Marketing?

A PhD in marketing typically takes five years to complete. However, some universities allow you to earn your doctorate in as little as three years, though usually only if you have enough transfer credits. At the other end of the scale, your PhD may push out to up to seven years.

Is There a PhD in Marketing?

Yes. Many universities offer a PhD degree in marketing, as well as online marketing doctorate programs for working professionals. Some schools also offer a comparable DBA (Doctor of Business Administration)..

Can I Do a PhD in Marketing After an MBA?

Yes, you can do a PhD in marketing after completing an MBA. In fact, you might consider completing a DBA to be more in line with your studies.

Key Takeaways

You can access a wealth of career opportunities available with an MBA or another master’s degree . But if you want to open more doors in research and academia, a PhD in marketing is the way to go. With so many online study options, it’s easier now than ever to complete a remote degree while juggling work or a family.

If you want to explore more options for excellent advanced degrees, take a look at our guides for:

  • Best online PhD in Psychology programs
  • History PhD programs
  • Best PhD programs in California

Lisa Marlin

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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  • Doctoral Programs

Quantitative Marketing

Subrata K. Sen teaching

The PhD degree in Marketing is a research degree that is focused on developing cutting-edge skills that are needed to do research on the frontiers of marketing.

Behavioral Marketing

Shane Frederick teaching

The PhD program in Behavioral Marketing at Yale focuses on how individuals think and behave in consumer-relevant domains. The program of study is inter-disciplinary, drawing from the fields of consumer behavior, social psychology, cognitive psychology, decision research, and behavioral economics.

Yale Marketing Seminar

The Yale Marketing Seminar Series presents recent research papers in marketing. The goal is to bring researchers from other universities to the Yale campus to stimulate exchange of ideas and deepen understanding of marketing trends.

PhD Program

The marketing program offers two broad areas of research:  consumer behavior and quantitative marketing. Alternatively, students may focus on the interplay between these two broad areas (consumer behavior and quantitative marketing) and how the economics and psychology interface can help researchers better understand and predict marketing phenomena.

Consumer Behavior Track

In the consumer behavior track, students are exposed to the fundamentals of psychology (cognitive psychology, social psychology, and behavioral decision theory) and experimental research and on how to use them to address marketing problems, such as consumer judgment and decision making and the role of the multiple variables influencing this process (e.g., attitudes, emotions, motivation, individual differences, perception, social influence, etc).

Quantitative Marketing Track

In the quantitative marketing track, students are exposed to the fundamentals of economics (microeconomics, industrial organization, econometrics, etc.) and how to use them to address marketing problems such as mathematical modeling of buyer-seller interactions, consumer choice processes, the allocation of marketing resources into components of the marketing mix, and product development.

Program Overview

To cope with these expanding horizons, the program is designed to provide broad exposure to the advanced literature in each field. The program includes a series of marketing PhD seminars, the development of expertise in a particular social science discipline (economics and/or psychology), and technical skills appropriate to the analysis of the problems to be studied. Students select an area for intensive study and develop a program that trains them to comprehend and perform cutting-edge research in that field.

Consumer Behavior Curriculum

Quantitative Marketing Curriculum

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PhD Programs in Marketing

The AMA helps potential doctoral students find the right program for them by maintaining a global list of PhD and DBA-granting institutions that offer the opportunity to specialize in marketing. If you would like your institution added to the list below, please email [email protected].

Current doctoral students may find helpful resources via the AMA DocSIG and PhD students who are going on the market should check out the AMA Transitions Guide or learn about Academic Placement at the Summer Academic Conference .

  • ​Chinese University of Hong Kong  
  • City University of Hong Kong 
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 
  • Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
  • JK Business School
  • Lingnan University​​
  • Management Development Institute  
  • Nanyang Technological University ​
  • National University of Singapore  
  • Aston Business School
  • Athens University of Economics & Business  
  • Bilkent University 
  • Bocconi University  
  • Boğaziçi University
  • Cardiff University  
  • City, University London  
  • Copenhagen Business School
  • Cranfield University  
  • Erasmus Research Institute of Management  
  • ESSEC Business School
  • Frankfurt School of Finance & Management  
  • Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt  
  • Grenoble Ecole de Management  
  • HEC Paris  
  • Hanken School of Economics  
  • INSEAD 
  • ICTE Business School  
  • Kingston University  
  • Koc University  
  • Lancaster University  
  • Loughborough University 
  • Lausanne University  
  • London Busines s School  
  • Maastricht University  
  • Manchester Business School  
  • Nottingham University  
  • Tilburg University  
  • Umea University  
  • University of Bradford
  • University College Dublin 
  • University of Cologne​
  • University of Exeter  
  • University of Glasgow  
  • University of Grenoble  
  • University of Groningen
  • University of Guelph  
  • University of Liverpool  
  • University of Mannheim
  • University of Muenster
  • University of Navarra, IESE  
  • University of St. Gallen 
  • University of Southern Denmark  
  • University of Stirling​
  • University of Strathclyde 
  • University of Valencia  
  • VU University Amsterdam 
  • Wilfrid Laurier University 
  • Warwick Business School 
  • Yeditepe University
  • Carleton University  
  • Concordia University 
  • HEC Montréal  
  • Laval University  
  • McGill University
  • McMaster University  
  • Queen’s University
  • Simon Fraser University 
  • University of Alberta 
  • University of British Columbia 
  • University of Calgary
  • University of Manitoba​
  • University of Toronto  
  • Western University  
  • York University ​

Australia and New Zealand

  • Bond University 
  • Deakin University
  • Griffith University​ 
  • La Trobe University  
  • Macquarie Graduate School of Management 
  • Melbourne Business School  
  • Monash University 
  • Queensland University of Technology 
  • Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology 
  • University of Adelaide 
  • University of Ballarat 
  • University of Canterbury​
  • University of Melbourne 
  • University of Newcastle 
  • University of New South Wales  
  • University of Otago 
  • University of South Australia  
  • University of Sydney 
  • University of Technology, Sydney  
  • University of Western Australia 
  • University of Wollongong

United States of America

  • Arizona State University  
  • Bentley University  
  • Boston University 
  • Carnegie Mellon University 
  • City University of New York (Baruch College) 
  • Cleveland State University 
  • Cornell University 
  • Columbia University  
  • Drexel University  
  • Duke University  
  • Emory University  
  • Florida Atlantic University  
  • Florida International University 
  • Florida State University
  • Fordham University  
  • George Washington University 
  • Georgia Institute of Technology  
  • Georgia State University 
  • Grand Canyon University  
  • Harvard University  
  • Indiana University  
  • Iowa State University  
  • Kennesaw University 
  • Kent State University  
  • Louisiana State University
  • Louisiana Tech University  
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology  
  • Michigan State University  
  • Mississippi State University 
  • Morgan State University 
  • New Mexico State University 
  • New York University  
  • Northwestern University  
  • The Ohio State University 
  • Oklahoma State University  
  • Old Dominion University
  • Pace University  
  • Pennsylvania State University  
  • Purdue University  
  • Rutgers University  
  • Saint Louis University 
  • Southern Illinois University  
  • Stanford University  
  • State University of New York, ​Binghamton  
  • Syracuse University 
  • Temple University  
  • Texas A & M University  
  • Texas Tech University 
  • University of Alabama 
  • University of Arizona  
  • University of Arkansas 
  • University at Buffalo  
  • University of California, Berkeley  
  • University of California, Irvine  
  • University of California, Los Angeles
  • University of California, Riverside
  • University of California, San Diego  
  • University of Central Florida 
  • University of Chicago 
  • University of Cincinnati 
  • University of Colorado at Boulder  
  • University of Connecticut  
  • University of Florida  
  • University of Georgia 
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa  
  • University of Houston  
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign 
  • University of Illinois at Chicago 
  • University of Iowa  
  • University of Kansas 
  • University of Kentucky 
  • University of Maryland  
  • University of Massachusetts – Amherst
  • University of Massachusetts – Lowell  
  • University of Memphis  
  • University of Miami 
  • University of Michigan  
  • University of Minnesota  
  • University of Mississippi  
  • University of Missouri 
  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln  
  • University of North Carolina 
  • University of North Texas 
  • University of Oklahoma 
  • University of Oregon  
  • University of Pennsylvania  
  • University of Pittsburgh 
  • University of Rhode Island 
  • University of Rochester  
  • University of South Carolina  
  • University of Southern California  
  • University of South Florida  
  • University of Tennessee 
  • University of Texas – Arlington 
  • University of Texas at Austin – Marketing 
  • University of Texas – Dallas 
  • University of Texas – El Paso​
  • University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley  
  • University of Texas – San Antonio 
  • University of Utah  
  • University of Virginia 
  • University of Washington  
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison 
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 
  • University of Wyoming  
  • Vanderbilt University 
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University  
  • Washington State University  
  • Washington University in St. Louis  
  • West Virginia University 
  • Yale University  
  • Wayne State University  ​​​

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Best Doctorates in Digital Marketing: Top PhD Programs, Career Paths, and Salaries

There is a wide range of digital marketing jobs you can get if you have a doctorate. You can be a professor or researcher in academia or pursue roles in different industries. In this article, we show you the best PhDs in Digital Marketing that you can earn to advance your career. We also provide information on the best digital marketing jobs and salaries for professionals with PhDs in Digital Marketing.

What Is a PhD in Digital Marketing?

A PhD in Digital Marketing is the highest-level academic degree students can get in the field of digital marketing. This program entails more research work than coursework. Typically, doctoral programs take four to five years to complete.

Find your bootcamp match

How to get into a digital marketing phd program: admission requirements.

The admission requirements for a typical PhD in Digital Marketing are an online application for the program and official transcripts from your undergraduate or graduate education. Some schools also require standardized test scores, such as GMAT or GRE. You also need to submit your resume, letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose.

PhD in Digital Marketing Admission Requirements

  • Official academic transcripts
  • Test scores (GRE or GMAT)
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose

Digital Marketing PhD Acceptance Rates: How Hard Is It to Get Into a PhD Program in Digital Marketing?

It’s hard to get into a PhD in Digital Marketing program. Acceptance rates for doctorate programs in the marketing field are low. On average, less than 10 percent of prospective students who apply to doctoral programs in digital marketing are admitted because schools only admit a low number of students to these programs every year.

How to Get Into the Best Universities

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Best PhDs in Digital Marketing: In Brief

Best universities for digital marketing phds: where to get a phd in digital marketing.

Some of the best universities for getting a digital marketing PhD are Arizona State University, Duke University, Stanford University, The University of Texas, and University of Pennsylvania. If you’re wondering where to get the best PhDs in Digital Marketing, the following list will help you learn more about the accredited schools that offer doctoral degree programs in marketing.

Arizona State University (ASU) was first founded in 1885 as the Territorial Normal School in Tempe. Offering over 450 graduate degrees in fields such as arts, computing and mathematics, entrepreneurship, and healthcare, ASU welcomes more than 70,000 students every year. It has been recognized by US News & World Report as the most innovative national university . 

PhD in Marketing

ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business offers a full-time residential Doctoral Degree in Marketing. It’s designed for graduate students who want to pursue research and teaching positions in marketing. Students can choose between consumer behavior, service strategy, and quantitative marketing models specializations to concentrate their digital marketing knowledge.

PhD in Marketing Overview

  • Program Length: 5 years
  • Acceptance Rate: 5-10%
  • Tuition and Fees: $11,720 (in-state base tuition); $23,544 (out-of-state base tuition)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Teaching or research assistantships, loans and other financing options, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

PhD in Marketing Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher
  • GRE or GMAT test scores
  • Undergraduate education transcripts
  • Proof of English language proficiency (for international students)

Drexel University is a private research university that was founded in 1891. Its LeBow College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. This college offers PhD programs in economics and business, as well as an executive doctorate program in business administration. 

PhD in Business with a Marketing Specialization 

In this full-time PhD program, students can choose between an economics-oriented track and a behaviorally-oriented research track. Development of marketing channel systems is one of the courses where digital marketing can be covered. To graduate, students must complete 45 credits and write and defend a doctoral thesis.

PhD in Business with a Marketing Specialization Overview

  • Program Length: 4 years
  • Acceptance Rate: 10%
  • Tuition and Fees: $0 - All admitted students are considered for research and teaching assistantships which include a full tuition waiver
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Fellowships, teaching and research assistantships, research awards

PhD in Business with a Marketing Specialization Admission Requirements

  • Minimum of 3.0 GPA in undergraduate programs and 3.3 GPA in graduate programs
  • Transcripts
  • GMAT or GRE scores
  • Personal statement
  • 2 letters of recommendation

Duke University is a private research university that was founded in 1838 in Trinity, North Carolina. The school has more than 80 Graduate School Departments, and over 3,000 graduate students are enrolled in its graduate programs. Duke University’s main goal is to give students the analytical and critical skills they need to succeed in their chosen field of study.

The PhD in Marketing at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business aims to prepare students for successful careers in research and teaching. This program covers digital marketing through the effects of Internet search agents on consumer choice. To graduate from this program, students are required to write and defend a dissertation.

  • Acceptance Rate: 11%
  • Tuition and Fees: $28,950/semester (years 1-3); $4,000/semester (years 4+)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Tuition grants, research and teaching assistantships
  • $95 application fee
  • Academic transcripts
  • Provide undergraduate GPA
  • Statement of purpose essay
  • English language proficiency test scores (for non-native speakers)

Georgia State University (GSU) is a public research institution founded in 1913. The university offers more than 150 graduate degree programs across nine different colleges. Innovation is central in GSU’s Graduate Schools, as the US News & World Report named it the second most innovative school in the country . 

GSU’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business prepares students for successful careers inside and outside academia. In this program, students learn to apply combined research and marketing methods to digital marketing. Its curriculum includes 15 hours of research courses, 18 hours of marketing courses, and nine hours of courses in the student’s area of interest. 

  • Acceptance Rate: N/A
  • Tuition and Fees: $4,776/semester (in state); $15,108/semester (out of state)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Teaching and research assistantships, doctoral fellowships
  • Online application and $50 application fee
  • GMAT scores
  • College transcripts
  • 3 letters of recommendation
  • Immunization records

Harvard University was the first college founded in America in 1636. Its Harvard Business School (HBS) was later established in 1908. HBS is now considered one of the best business schools in the world. It offers doctoral programs in a wide variety of fields, such as accounting, management, economics, organizational behavior, and marketing. 

PhD in Marketing 

HBS offers a full-time Doctoral Degree in Marketing, which requires a minimum of 13 courses, including economics and psychology. Its machine learning, computer science, and statistics courses are useful for digital marketing analysis and application. To graduate, students need to complete a teaching engagement, pass the special exam, and write and defend a dissertation.

  • Acceptance Rate: 4%
  • Tuition and Fees: $0 (fully funded for 5 years)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Financial aid program, research support
  • Online application and $105 application fee
  • GRE or GMAT scores

Northwestern University is a private research institution founded in 1851. US News & World Report considers it one of the top 10 national universities in the country . It’s home to over 50 research centers and receives over $890 million annually in sponsored research awards. More than 13,000 students are currently enrolled in its 90 graduate degree programs.

This PhD in Marketing is offered through the Kellogg School of Management. It offers two concentrations in consumer behavior and quantitative marketing. It teaches students to become successful marketing researchers in various areas of marketing, including digital marketing. To earn a doctorate, students must complete 18 courses and maintain a GPA of 3.0. 

  • Program Length: 4+ years
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Tuition and Fees: $18,689/quarter (8 or fewer quarters); $4,672/quarter (more than 8 quarters)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Fellowship stipend, teaching and research assistantships, tuition scholarships
  • Courses taken form
  • 3 recommendation letters
  • Proof of English proficiency (for international students)
  • Optional writing sample

Founded in 1855, Penn State University is a public land-grant research university with 24 campuses catering to graduate and undergraduate students. The university offers more than 190 graduate degree programs and around 100 graduate certificate programs. Penn State stays on top of the research field with over $1 billion in annual research expenditures.

Penn State’s Smeal College of Business offers PhD in Marketing in three specializations in consumer behavior, marketing management, and marketing models. All three of them provide valuable learnings applicable to digital marketing. The program’s graduation requirements entail the completion of all coursework, a qualifying exam, and a thesis dissertation.

  • Program Length: 3+ years
  • Acceptance Rate: 15%
  • Tuition and Fees: $0 - Admitted students receive a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend guaranteed for five years
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Tuition waiver, monthly stipends, research assistantships, research funding options
  • $65 application fee
  • GPA and coursework
  • GMAT, GRE or TOEFL scores
  • Work sample, such as research papers or essays

Stanford University was founded in 1885, but it didn’t open its doors to students until 1891. In 1925, the Stanford Graduate School of Business was created. Its three full-time graduate degree programs are all accredited by the AACSB. Among this school’s faculty, there are five Nobel Prize laureates and five recipients of the John Bates Clark Medal in Economics. 

Students enrolled in this PhD in Marketing degree can choose between two areas of study in behavioral marketing or quantitative marketing. Its coursework for digital marketing include deep learning, machine learning, and consumer behavior. To graduate, students must pass a field exam, submit academic papers, and complete apprenticeships and a dissertation.

  • Program Length: 2-3 years
  • Acceptance Rate: 3.5%
  • Tuition and Fees: $56,487/three quarters (if 11-18 units per quarter); $36,720/three quarters (if 8-10 units per quarter). 
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Fellowships, research and teaching assistantships, professional development grants. All incoming doctoral students in the Marketing PhD program are provided with financial aid for five years.
  • Online application
  • $125 application fee
  • Official transcripts
  • 3 letters of reference
  • TOEFL score (for international students)

Syracuse University (SU) is a private research university established in 1870. It’s accredited by the Middle State Commission on Higher Education. SU’s graduate school offers more than 193 master’s degrees and 50 doctoral degrees across 13 schools and colleges. Over 1,400 doctoral students are currently enrolled in SU’s PhD programs.

PhD in Business Administration with a Marketing Major

SU offers a PhD in Business Administration with a Marketing Major through the Whitman School of Management. It has two areas of specialization, analytical modeling and empirical analysis, for quantitative marketing. Students need to earn 72 credits to complete this program. Other graduation requirements include submitting three research papers and a thesis.

PhD in Business Administration with a Marketing Major Overview

  • Tuition and Fees: $1,802/credit hour
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Tuition waivers, yearly stipends, grants, fellowships, awards, teaching and research assistantships 

PhD in Business Administration with a Marketing Major Admission Requirements

  • Recommendation letters

University of Arizona is a public land-grant research university founded in 1885. It offers more than 150 master’s degree programs and over 100 doctoral programs in a wide variety of fields. The university is known for its heavy investments in research and development, spending over $700 million in recent years.

The university’s Eller College of Management offers a full-time PhD in Marketing that prepares students for research-heavy and academic roles. Strategy, marketing models, and consumer psychology are some of the courses useful for a digital marketing career. The program’s coursework has 36 units in marketing, nine units in a minor subject, and 18 units of dissertation credits.

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  • Program Length: 4-5 years
  • Tuition and Fees: $14,600/academic year (in state); $34,800/academic year (out of state)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Teaching or research associateship
  • $90 application fee
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores (for international students)

University of California-Berkeley (UC Berkeley) was founded in 1868. At present, more than 5,000 graduate students are enrolled at UC Berkeley’s wide variety of doctoral degrees. The US News & World Report named UC Berkeley as the fourth-best global university in the country.

UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business offers an interdisciplinary doctoral marketing program with two areas of research in consumer behavior and quantitative marketing. Both tracks require taking courses in buyer behavior and choice modeling or marketing strategy. To get this degree, students need to pass an oral qualification exam and write and defend a dissertation.

  • Acceptance Rate: 9%
  • Tuition and Fees: $14,442/academic year (in state); $29,238/academic year (out of state)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Financial aid, scholarships, fellowships
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • $120 application fee
  • GMAT or GRE test scores

University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) is an Ivy League research university founded in 1740. The Wharton School was established as UPenn’s first business school in 1881. The Wharton School offers nine graduate programs of study in various areas, including finance, management, and marketing. Currently, around 13,000 graduate students are enrolled in UPenn.

This interdisciplinary doctoral program in marketing offers a consumer behavior track and a quantitative track. Data analysis and research methods are some of the program’s courses, which can be best applied to digital marketing. To graduate, students need to complete a dissertation and at least 15 graduate-level course units.

  • Acceptance Rate: 3%
  • Tuition and Fees: $37,678/full program
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Financial aid awards, fellowships
  • $80 application fee
  • Official transcripts and academic history
  • Personal statement essay

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a public research university founded in 1969. Over 900 students are currently enrolled in the university’s doctoral degrees. UTSA is home to 32 research centers and institutes and offers a wide range of well-funded research partnerships.

UTSA offers its doctoral degree through Carlos Alvarez College of Business. This degree requires a minimum of 84 credits for students who previously obtained a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 66 credits for those with a master’s degree. Its courses that are useful for digital marketing include strategy research and experimental design.

  • Tuition and Fees: $575/credit hour (in state); $1,572/credit hour (out of state)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Annual stipends, research assistantships
  • $50 application fee
  • Personal statement of academic goals and interests

Can You Get a PhD in Digital Marketing Online?

Yes, you can get a PhD in Digital Marketing online. Northcentral University and Atlantic International University are some of the schools that offer online doctoral marketing degrees. You can also get a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Marketing online. A DBA program focuses more on practical marketing applications, while a PhD program is designed for research and academic-oriented positions.

Best Online PhD Programs in Digital Marketing

How long does it take to get a phd in digital marketing.

It takes four to five years to get a PhD in Digital Marketing. Typically, students dedicate the first two or three years to completing the required coursework. During their second and third years, students are expected to complete a field exam. This exam measures their depth of knowledge and comprehension of the marketing field.

During the program’s remaining years, students must focus their efforts on research activities, a dissertation, and any additional graduation requirements. Such requirements can be to complete research or teaching assistantships. They can also be to submit academic papers to accredited publications and to participate in seminars.

Is a PhD in Digital Marketing Hard?

Yes, a PhD in Digital Marketing is hard. The average completion time of a PhD in Digital Marketing is between four and five years. The majority of doctoral degrees are full-time programs. This means that working outside while pursuing your degree won’t be possible. You’ll have to rely on funding options such as research assistantships to support yourself while you are studying.

A doctorate can also be hard because of the program’s coursework and graduation requirements, which will require a lot of hard work and dedication. In general, students have to complete courses in advanced digital marketing topics, as well as courses in complex disciplines like statistics. They also have to complete the program’s dissertation requirements.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a PhD in Digital Marketing?

It costs approximately $12,171 per year to get a PhD in Digital Marketing at a public institution, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The tuition for a doctoral degree at a private university can cost between $14,208 and $27,776 per year.

Many universities offer affordable graduate tuition rates. An example is Georgia State University, where in-state students pay $4,776 per semester, and out-of-state students pay $15,108 per semester. Moreover, there are plenty of funding opportunities for digital marketing PhD students.

How to Pay for a PhD in Digital Marketing: PhD Funding Options

The PhD funding options that full-time students can use to pay for a PhD in Digital Marketing are tuition waivers, fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships. Most schools also offer PhD students plenty of financial aid options to reduce their expenses. Some schools even provide stipends to help students with other living costs.

Best Online Master’s Degrees

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What Is the Difference Between a Digital Marketing Master’s Degree and PhD?

The difference between a digital marketing master’s degree and a PhD is the job outlook for graduates. Master’s degree programs are great for career advancement because they teach the necessary skills for various executive positions in the marketing field. PhDs are terminal degree programs designed to prepare students mostly for careers in academia.

Doctoral degrees are a necessity in a range of job roles in the academic field, such as college professor or tenure researcher. Doctorate programs take approximately five years to complete, while master’s degrees can be completed in only two years. Because of this, getting a PhD in Digital Marketing will give you more advanced knowledge of the marketing field.

Master’s vs PhD in Digital Marketing Job Outlook

Digital marketing professionals with a PhD have advanced skills and knowledge for academic positions in postsecondary education. This field has a job outlook of 12 percent . Professionals with a master’s degree can strive for a wide variety of digital marketing jobs across different industries. For example, market research analysts have a 22 percent job outlook .

Difference in Salary for Digital Marketing Master’s vs PhD

While a digital marketer with a Master’s Degree can get a median annual income of $93,000 , the average PhD in Digital Marketing salary is $106,000 per year based on PayScale data. This pay disparity exists because of the advanced skills and knowledge that a PhD graduate can offer in digital marketing roles.

Related Digital Marketing Degrees

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Why You Should Get a PhD in Digital Marketing

You should get a PhD in Digital Marketing because it’ll give you a proper knowledge of advanced topics and crucial research skills needed for various digital marketing jobs. Apart from gaining expertise, PhD graduates also enjoy low unemployment rates, higher salaries, and networking opportunities. Below, we discuss in detail the reasons for getting a PhD in Digital Marketing.

Reasons for Getting a PhD in Digital Marketing

  • Lower unemployment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing professionals with a PhD have a lower unemployment rate at 2.5 percent than those with a master’s or bachelor’s degree. This can be partially because pursuing doctoral degrees make it easier for graduates to land digital marketing jobs in the academic field.
  • Advanced knowledge. A PhD in Digital Marketing will give you advanced skills and knowledge. With this degree, you’ll also learn quantitative and qualitative research methods that are necessary for landing higher-paying digital marketing jobs in any field.
  • Higher salary. Most companies tend to pay employees with higher education and experience more money. By earning a PhD in Digital Marketing, you’ll be able to make an annual salary of $106,000 or more, depending on your professional experience and where you work.
  • Networking opportunities. A digital marketing PhD will give you plenty of opportunities to grow your professional network. Not only will you have the opportunity to meet other students with similar interests and passions, but you can also attend conferences and seminars. These events are where you can connect with experts from all over the world.

Getting a PhD in Digital Marketing: Digital Marketing PhD Coursework

Three people sitting around a wooden table looking at printed graphs

Getting a PhD in Digital Marketing is a matter of completing the required course load and any other graduation requirements. The typical PhD coursework is broken down into core digital marketing courses, courses in other disciplines, and courses focused on research or how to prepare for your dissertation. Below are a few examples of the courses that students must take.

Consumer Behavior

Consumer behavior studies are the psychological and behavioral processes that influence people’s choices when buying or consuming products and services. With this course, graduate students will better understand how cultural and psychological variables tend to influence the behavior of consumers. They’ll uncover how this can be used for effective marketing strategies.

Introduction to Econometrics

Econometrics is a discipline that combines mathematical and statistical methodologies in order to quantify economic phenomena. With this course, students will learn how to use regression methods, such as nonparametric and linear regressions, to quantify and interpret relevant data. This is useful for students that want to pursue careers in digital marketing research.

Qualitative Research Methods

In digital marketing, qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data to understand phenomena that are useful in market research. With this course, PhD students will learn how to use qualitative research methods to gather data that can help in understanding all the factors and variables that influence consumers’ decisions.

Quantitative Marketing

Qualitative research is the process of collecting and analyzing numerical data. It’s a crucial step in statistical analysis. In this course, students will learn how to quantify and analyze the data gathered from surveys and polls answered by a target audience. This will help students draw insights based on the data gathered from market research focus groups.

Statistical Inference

Statistical inference refers to the process of deducing facts about a specific group of the population based on statistical data. This course will provide digital marketing students the skills necessary for working with statistical data. The use of statistical methods, such as statistical inference, is common in the marketing field, so it’s a crucial skill for digital marketers to learn.

Best Master’s Degrees

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How to Get a PhD in Digital Marketing: Doctoral Program Requirements

To graduate, PhD students have to complete the doctoral program requirements. Common graduation requirements include completing the required coursework, completing the necessary teaching or researching requirements, and writing and defending a dissertation. Finishing these requirements is how to get a PhD in Digital Marketing.

Doctorate programs require students to complete the necessary coursework, as well as a minimum number of credits. Core courses include digital marketing courses and research methods courses. The coursework is meant to be finished in the first two years of the program. Students might be required to maintain a minimum GPA throughout their coursework.

Once students complete the required coursework, they are required to pass an exam meant to assess the depth of their comprehension of topics covered in the first years of the program. It’s also meant to measure the depth of advanced knowledge they learned through completing the required coursework. This examination can be a written exam or an oral examination.

PhD students are required to complete research requirements. These requirements include working as research assistants and completing a set number of hours or classes of teaching. You might also need to participate in research assistantships under experienced faculty members, participate in seminars and colloquia, and submit your research to academic journals. 

Teaching apprenticeship requirements can mean working as teaching assistants (TAs) during a set time frame from the total length of the program. Alternatively, you might need to complete a teaching engagement during a semester or a full academic year. This is a great opportunity for students who want to pursue teaching careers.

To get a PhD in Digital Marketing, you’ll have to write and defend a dissertation. Dissertations are where students show that they’re able to conduct independent research and present it in a well-organized manner. Dissertation requirements include writing a dissertation, presenting a dissertation proposal, choosing a doctoral dissertation committee, and defending the final dissertation.

Potential Careers With a Digital Marketing Degree

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PhD in Digital Marketing Salary and Job Outlook

The typical salary for marketing experts with a PhD is over $100,000 per year. There are plenty of job opportunities for PhD graduates, both in business and in the academic field. On average, there are more than 200,000 job openings for digital marketers with a PhD every year. Most marketing professions are expected to grow between eight and 14 percent in the next decade.

What Can You Do With a PhD in Digital Marketing?

With a PhD in Digital Marketing, you can apply to various senior-level positions in marketing or academia. Once you get your degree, you’ll have the skills and knowledge necessary to work in positions such as marketing manager, postsecondary education teacher, market research analyst, and public relations manager.

Best Jobs with a PhD in Digital Marketing

  • College Professor
  • Marketing Manager
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Public Relations Manager
  • Postsecondary Education Administrator

What Is the Average Salary for a PhD in Digital Marketing?

The average annual salary for a PhD in Digital Marketing is $106,000. This salary varies depending on the specific digital media marketing field a professional decides to focus on. For example, digital marketers working in an academic environment earn an average of $96,910 per year. Marketing experts who work in marketing management earn $133,380 per year.

Highest-Paying Digital Marketing Jobs for PhD Grads

Best digital marketing jobs with a doctorate.

The best digital marketing jobs with a doctorate are marketing manager, public relations manager, postsecondary education administrator, college professor, and market research analyst. These jobs require an advanced education degree because they need experts who know digital marketing trends very well and know how to apply research methods.

In this section, we discuss an overview of the best digital marketing jobs with a doctorate. We also provide details on the salary, job outlook, and highest-paying states.

Marketing managers plan effective marketing campaigns and evaluate promotional campaigns of businesses. These professionals possess leadership skills and advanced knowledge of advertising principles needed for identifying potential target markets for a specific product or service. They create promotional campaigns for target markets. 

  • Average Salary: $133,380
  • Job Outlook: 10% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 316,800
  • Highest-Paying States: New York, New Jersey, California

Public relations managers create content, such as press releases, articles, draft speeches, and images for a company to reach its target audience. They also analyze the audience’s perspective of a business and create digital marketing strategies to shape or improve the business’s overall image.

  • Salary with a Digital Marketing PhD: $119,860
  • Job Outlook: 13% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 89,000
  • Highest-Paying States: District of Columbia, Virginia, New York

Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and sometimes, faculty research at private and public colleges and universities. These professionals need to have interpersonal, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills. They also need experience in administrative settings to perform their job.

  • Salary with a Digital Marketing PhD: $96,910
  • Job Outlook: 8% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 178,800
  • Highest-Paying States: New York, New Jersey, Delaware

College professors or postsecondary teachers in the digital marketing field develop outlines and syllabi for the courses they teach. They also plan individual lessons and assess their student’s progress through various assignments. 

  • Salary with a Digital Marketing PhD: $79,640
  • Job Outlook: 12% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 1,276,900
  • Highest-Paying States: California, Rhode Island, New Hampshire

Market research analysts have a vast knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods that are widely used in the marketing field. They also have the analytical skills required for interpreting complex data. Their main responsibility consists of evaluating the market conditions and determining the potential sales of a product or service.

  • Average Salary: $63,920
  • Job Outlook: 14% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 740,900
  • Highest-Paying States: Washington, Delaware, New York

Is a PhD in Digital Marketing Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in Digital Marketing is worth it because it provides more employment opportunities and a higher annual salary. With a doctoral degree, you can apply for academic positions, such as post-secondary education teacher or researcher. You can also apply in various industries as a marketing manager, public relations manager, or market research analyst.

Additional Reading About Digital Marketing

[query_class_embed] https://careerkarma.com/blog/digital-marketing-best-practices/ https://careerkarma.com/blog/trends-in-digital-marketing/ https://careerkarma.com/blog/digital-marketing-tools-everyone-needs/

PhD in Digital Marketing FAQ

Yes, you can get a PhD in Digital Marketing online. The best PhDs in Digital Marketing with a fully online format are offered by Northcentral University, Washington State University, and Trident University International. Liberty University offers online DBA programs, which have more hands-on experience than a traditional PhD in Marketing.

You should get a PhD in Digital Marketing because it’ll give you’ll learn in-demand skills and knowledge in marketing and research methods. Getting a PhD will not only ensure you earn a high annual income, but it’ll raise your chances of finding a good and rewarding job.

The digital marketing jobs that require a PhD are teaching and research positions in the academic field. If you want to pursue a career in academia, you must get a doctoral degree. While other digital marketing jobs might not require doctoral education, having a PhD will make you stand out from other candidates with a master’s or bachelor’s degree.

Yes, digital marketing is a good career choice. Digital marketers are one of the most in-demand professionals in marketing and advertising. Becoming a digital marketer will open a wide range of careers in business. The average salary of a digital marketing expert is approximately $50,000 per year, and the average PhD in Digital Marketing salary is over $100,000 per year.

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The Best Reddit Digital Marketing Advice

Looking for a consensus or advice from a group of people with actual practical experience in digital marketing? Reddit is your answer.

The Reddit digital marketing community is a goldmine for those seeking to up their digital marketing game or get the lowdown on the next big thing. But getting the best from digital marketing on Reddit typically involves sifting through a lot of ambiguous or irrelevant information.

That’s why, in this article, we’ve scoured the top upvoted Reddit digital marketing posts to provide you with the expert advice you need to keep your skills fresh. We’ve explored topics ranging from common misconceptions to the best digital marketing tools, and more.

We cover these topics and provide the most upvoted posts and comments:

  • What does digital marketing involve?
  • The best way to learn digital marketing
  • Will AI replace digital marketers?
  • The best free marketing tools
  • How to get into digital marketing?

Closing thoughts

Let’s dive in.

Reddit’s top digital marketing advice

In this section, we’ve hand-selected some of the best Reddit digital marketing advice on the platform—lightly edited for conciseness and readability—to help you start your career journey.

1. What does digital marketing involve?

As a beginner, you could read 100 articles about digital marketing and still fail to fully grasp how to apply it. This is nobody’s fault, of course. But digital marketing is massively diverse—no two roles look alike, and digital marketing channels are used differently depending on the setting.

However, in this upvoted post on the subreddit r/marketing , one Redditor asks practicing digital marketers to respond by explaining what their role actually involves . Here’s the top-upvoted answer:

“I’m Director of Digital Marketing at a mid-size agency. My department is responsible for several PPC services , and I manage a team of ads specialists […] We use several tools such as Google Ads but mostly utilize internally developed tools. I teach my ads specialists to use these tools to build, manage, and optimize online advertising for clients […] Specialists trying to get into this work don’t need a degree, but it is very challenging to start green. Skills I look for are an analytical mind, attention to detail, ability to adapt to new technology, and an interest in consumer behavior […] Day to day, my specialists manage a book of accounts […] build and manage ads […] provide reporting of results and discuss them with clients. I also encourage [them] to research new ideas/strategies and changes in the field.”

This response is helpful as it provides a manager’s perspective, which is invaluable for those breaking into the field. 

Another upvoted response clarifies that, as a concept, “digital marketing” is often perceived as a holistic, clearly defined domain area. In reality, it is a loosely-determined catch-all term that describes a variety of tactics. This misunderstanding can lead to trouble:

“When the [digital marketing] function is well-understood and respected in an organization, you spend 80% of your time ingesting and uncovering market insights (e.g., independent research/analysis, or partnering with an insights team of data scientists/analysts.) The other 20% is scheduling media buys and pitching for budget. 

When [digital marketing] is poorly understood, you spend 80% of your time scheduling media buys and coordinating the production of dubious utility. The other 20% is rummaging through data to find out what your campaign’s purpose was after you completed it: ‘Oh sh*t. No leads whatsoever. But look at all those pageviews! I guess this was an awareness campaign, huh?’”

While this example pertains to online advertising, it’s applicable across the board. Digital marketing is much more than simply a list of channels to choose from. When properly embraced, it’s about data and ways of thinking. A valuable takeaway from digital marketing Reddit, there!

Learn more: 10 signs you’re ready for a career in digital marketing

2. The best way to learn digital marketing

Next up, we’ll explore some advice for beginner digital marketers from the subreddit r/DigitalMarketing . The top-upvoted post on this subreddit offers a comprehensive list of around two dozen resources , ranging from blog posts and case studies to practical tips for developing your skills. We suggest exploring these first. More importantly, though, it emphasizes why you should apply what you learn to real-life projects:

“As with most things in life, reading about digital marketing won’t take you far. You need to put everything into practice. We usually recommend one of these 4 options:

  • Create a test learning environment. Create a website for a basic product or service (even a blog would do!) and start applying whatever you learned about digital marketing to get leads and customers. Even if you have zero budget, this can be an interesting learning experience. 
  • Get an internship. This can be a bit painful if you’re in the middle of your current career, but hey, swallow the pride. If you do your best, you’ll be doing some real work [land a real job] 6 months after the internship.
  • Offer a local business to help them with marketing for free. Find a business you think you can help in your area and reach out to them!
  • Create an affiliate blog. Pick a niche, create an affiliate blog, and start pumping out some content. This is mainly relevant if you want to learn SEO or content marketing.”

The precursor to all this is deciding which channel to start with. It’s not necessary (or feasible) to specialize in every area of digital marketing, and as we explored in the last section, focusing on this aspect too heavily risks undermining what digital marketing is really about. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend being aware of each channel.

Learn more: What are the 9 types of digital marketing?

3. Will AI replace digital marketers?

The latest innovation to transform digital marketing (and other fields) is generative artificial intelligence (AI). We can be pretty sure that generative AI is here to stay. The next big question is whether tools like ChatGPT will support digital marketers in the long term or replace them entirely . 

This was a topic of one post on the r/DigitalMarketing subreddit. Responses to the question were unsurprisingly varied, with most answers to the effect of “it depends”. Some have already lost their jobs to AI. But the most measured responses were more reassuring:

“AI is incredibly useful and has been used in marketing for quite some time, but it’s really only good for limited specific tasks. Think of it as a tool marketers can use to save time and become more efficient and productive. Is ChatGPT useful for pulling together a list of keywords for SEO? Absolutely. Is it useful for creating a multi-channel digital campaign for a specific brand/ product built on internal performance and insights? No. It’s just another tool available to marketers, it’s not going to replace them entirely.”

Other comments reflected this sentiment:

“ChatGPT is a useful tool to support digital marketers, but I don’t think marketers should rely on it completely. It generates the most general texts ever and is not even accurate. Just treat it as a powerful tool.”

For balance, however, one comment that jumped out made a concise but vital point about the future:

“The key thing is: YET. Who knows how creative AI can be in ~5 years?”

We cannot overstate this point. While we can’t predict how AI will evolve, hiding from or ignoring it is the surest way to get left behind.

Those hoping to thrive in digital marketing should learn how to utilize AI in a holistic manner that will work regardless of its future applications. As a starting point, we recommend exploring emerging AI jobs to see what the future might look like.

4. The best free marketing tools

Now to some more practical advice. We’ll admit that determining the best digital marketing tools depends on your objectives and measures of success. Ultimately, the choice is yours. But this thread on r/DigitalMarketing outlines what the original poster has identified as the best, freely available digital marketing tools. The list includes 30 tools. Here are the first five to give you a taste:

“ Clearbit Visitor Report

This is a free tool by Clearbit. You can sign up and install their script. It then generates a weekly visitor report and emails you. The report contains de-anonymized companies visiting your website and showing intent. You can also validate your marketing effort with it.

Want to get alerted when somebody on the web mentions your brand? Mention is a great tool for that. The free plan can monitor blogs, forums, video websites, Instagram, Twitter, and more.

Pablo by buffer

I am a big fan of Pablo and over the years have used the free service to generate and annotate images for social media marketing. It provides over 600,000 images onto which you can write your message. Perfect for Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Create stunning images with the help of an AI assistant. Upscale, fix lighting, and remove background are some of the things that this tool can do.

This is probably one of the best free apps out there. Station is an open-source browser that aggregates and displays all of your web applications in a single place. It allows you to multitask without having to switch between apps and windows.”  

Run a quick search, and you’ll find countless articles proclaiming to know the best digital marketing tools. The best part about Reddit, though, is that the comments and upvotes allow you to see which tools digital marketers actually use.

OK, so it’s not scientific, but in the case of this thread, for instance, Browsee (website analytics), Yoast (SEO), Ubersuggest (keyword research), and Canva (graphic design) all proved popular with real users.

You can also check out our guide to the most useful digital marketing tools , which we’ve broken down by channel to help make it easier to navigate.

5. How to get into digital marketing? 

Last but not least, if you’re looking to change careers, how should you start? Again, Reddit offers some helpful insights into real-world career pivots. On this thread in the subreddit r/marketing, one poster asks: “How do [did] you get into digital marketing?”

Here are some of the responses:

“Taught myself how to build websites entirely using YouTube tutorials. Built a website for a friend who owned a small pest control business […] Did social media marketing for him. Kind of trial and error, but every time I hit an error I would Google the topic […] Took all this after 6 months and built a website portfolio showcasing [my work] step by step.”

Web development and social media marketing often go hand in hand, providing a powerful combination of skills for creating a holistic digital presence.

Another common approach:

“I learned copywriting online. I’ve been doing it for almost a year […] My experience allows me to earn a higher salary than [those] who finished the degree I dropped out of.”

Copywriting is another popular entryway into digital marketing. It applies to various areas of marketing, including writing ads, social media content, and website copy.

Finally, if you’re not sure which area of digital marketing you want to work in:

“Begin by learning the basics of digital marketing, including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, and analytics. You can find free and paid online courses and resources to get started. [Then] get certified. Earning industry-standard certifications can help demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in specific areas of digital marketing.”

All top advice, if you ask us!

Learn more: The 10 best digital marketing certification programs

While you’ll find plenty of well-meaning advice online, it’s not all useful. But if you’re new to digital marketing, Reddit is a great place to start. It’s full of advice from experienced professionals who’ve trodden the path already, sharing their wisdom so you can avoid the most common traps and learn what to do if you fall into them.

Since Reddit digital marketing advice can be hit-and-miss, we’ve pulled out some top-upvoted advice and flavored it with some of our own experience in this post. We hope it’s been a helpful first step! But there’s plenty more advice out there. Start exploring digital marketing Reddit for yourself to see what advice you can find for your specific needs. We always recommend taking this advice with a dose of caution, though.

Useful though it can be, every digital marketing experience is unique, and what worked for others may not be a perfect fit for your situation. That’s why you must tailor any advice to your circumstances. Don’t hesitate to experiment to find what resonates best with your audience, brand, and, most importantly, with you.

To learn more about what a career in digital marketing could involve, sign up for this free 5-day introductory course or check out the following guides:

  • The Best Career Change Reddit Advice
  • The Digital Marketing Job Quiz: Which Role Is Right for Me?
  • The 10 Best (Free and Paid) Online Digital Marketing Courses in 2024

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  • Dissertation Areas and Joint PhD Programs
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  • PhD in Accounting
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PhD in Marketing

  • Joint Program in Financial Economics
  • Joint Program in Psychology and Business
  • Joint PhD/JD Program

Develop your research skills in consumer behavior or economics/quantitative methods and prepare for a career at a leading research institution.

Our Marketing PhD Program gives you a strong theoretical foundation and builds your empirical skills.

You’ll have the flexibility to explore marketing through Chicago Booth while taking courses across the university in psychology , sociology , economics , computer science , and statistics . You’ll also have access to computer science courses at Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC) .

The doctoral program defines marketing broadly as the study of the interface between firms, competitors, and consumers. This includes but is not limited to consumer preferences, consumer demand and decision-making, strategic interaction of firms, pricing, promotion, targeting, product design/positioning, and channel issues.

Our Distinguished Marketing Faculty

Chicago Booth’s marketing faculty serve as advisors, mentors, and collaborators to doctoral students.

Daniel Bartels

Daniel Bartels

Professor of Marketing

Pradeep Chintagunta

Pradeep K. Chintagunta

Joseph T. and Bernice S. Lewis Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing

Giovanni Compiani

Giovanni Compiani

Assistant Professor of Marketing

Sanjay K. Dhar

Sanjay K. Dhar

James M. Kilts, Jr. Professor of Marketing

Berkeley Dietvorst

Berkeley J. Dietvorst

Associate Professor of Marketing

Kristin Donnelly

Kristin Donnelly

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Stevens Junior Faculty Fellow

Jean Pierre Dube

Jean-Pierre Dubé

James M. Kilts Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and Charles E. Merrill Faculty Scholar

Ayelet Fishbach

Ayelet Fishbach

Jeffrey Breakenridge Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing and IBM Corporation Faculty Scholar

Gunter Hitsch

Guenter J. Hitsch

Kilts Family Professor of Marketing

Andreas Kraft

Andreas Kraft

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Asness Faculty Fellow

Ann L. McGill

Ann L. McGill

Sears Roebuck Professor of General Management, Marketing and Behavioral Science

Sanjog Misra

Sanjog Misra

Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing and Applied AI

Bradley Shapiro

Bradley Shapiro

Professor of Marketing and True North Faculty Scholar

Stephanie Smith

Stephanie Smith

Avner Strulov Shlain

Avner Strulov-Shlain

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Willard Graham Faculty Scholar

marketing phd reddit

Abigail Sussman

Professor of Marketing and Beatrice Foods Co. Faculty Scholar

Oleg Urminsky

Oleg Urminsky

Alumni success.

PhD alumni in marketing go on to successful careers at top institutions of higher education across the world. 

Akshina Banerjee, PhD '23

Assistant Professor of Marketing Ross School of Business, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Akshina studies linguistic influence on consumer decision-making, hierarchical choices, and mental accounting. Her interests are, thus, inherently interdisciplinary, with overlaps in marketing, linguistics, economics, and psychology. Her dissertation area is in behavioral marketing.

Olivia Natan, PhD ’21

Assistant Professor of Marketing Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Olivia Natan studies how limited information affects consumer demand and firm behavior. Her empirical work focuses on settings with large product assortments. Her dissertation area is in marketing.

A Network of Support

At Booth, you’ll have access to the resources of several research centers that help to fund marketing PhD research, host innovative conferences and workshops, and serve as focal points for collaboration and innovation.

James M. Kilts Center for Marketing The Kilts Center facilitates faculty research, supports innovations in the marketing curriculum, funds scholarships for MBA students, and creates engaging programs aimed at enhancing the careers of students and alumni.

Center for Decision Research Devoted to the study of how individuals form judgments and make decisions, the CDR supports research that examines the processes by which intuition, reasoning, and social interaction produce beliefs, judgments, and choices.

Scholarly Journals

Chicago Booth is responsible for the creation and leadership of some of the most prestigious academic journals today. Quantitative Marketing and Economics , for example, which focuses on problems important to marketing using a quantitative approach, was founded in 2003 by Peter E. Rossi, MBA ’80, PhD ’84.

See the full list of academic journals at Booth .

Spotlight on Current Research

Our faculty and PhD students continually produce high-level research. The Chicago Booth Review frequently highlights their contributions in marketing.

'Thank You Can Be a Loaded Phrase'

Depending on where you are in the world, this call could be welcomed—or considered strange or even rude, suggests research by Chicago Booth PhD student Jiaqi Yu and Booth’s Shereen Chaudhry.

Your Spending Habits Are All in Your Head

Booth Professor Daniel Bartels and Booth PhD [grad] Lin Fei have been examining how mental representation and the categorization of expenses are crucial to to people’s budgeting approaches.

Walter Zhang's BFI Industrial Organization Initiative Award

The Becker Friedman Institute will fund Zhang's research project, "Targeted Bundling" (coauthor: Olivia Natan, Booth PhD grad). Their project studies the pricing of digital goods and the potential for increased price targeting in differentiated product markets.

Can a Fictional Ad Man Help Sell Real Cigarettes?

How do depictions of tobacco use affect sales off-screen? Chicago Booth’s Pradeep K. Chintagunta and Sanjay K. Dhar, along with their coauthors Ali Goli (Booth PhD grad) and Simha Mummalaneni (UWashington), brought together several datasets to examine this question.

The PhD Experience at Booth

Rima Toure-Tillery, PhD ’13, talks about the Booth faculty’s open-door approach to PhD students.

Rima

Video Transcript

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:00 I am assistant professor at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management. And I am a motivation scholar. I study questions related to factors that influence people's motivation to persist in various types of goals.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:21 I think the PhD's very different from an MBA. You expect to be doing very different things when you're done. With a PhD most of us expect to conduct research, continue to ask deep questions, and just work on finding answers to those questions.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:35 Booth PhD Program is extremely rigorous. You're going to learn from the best. There's a good mix of letting you be in charge of your career and being independent, but also being extremely supportive. Most faculty have an open-door policy so you could just email someone, go to their office and start talking about a research idea. They're really going to help you develop the whole research approach, and thinking about ideas, and taking them from that really half-baked stage to something more advanced. Being able to approach whatever faculty I'm most interested in working with, I think that really permeated my whole time here.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 01:13 Being in the program really helped me see things in a different light. I really developed some new research interests as I learned more about what I didn't know. You can't solve problems that you don't even know existed. It's been a really amazing experience.

Meet Our Students

PhD students in marketing choose Chicago Booth because our multidisciplinary approach gives them the tools and training for a successful career. Recent dissertations have examined everything from customer retention and consumer purchasing decisions to the economics of retail food waste. Recent graduates have accepted positions at leading research institutions, including UCLA and Columbia University, and have gone on to data science careers in industry.

Current Students

Vanessa Alwan

Salman Arif

Soaham Bharti

Samuel Borislow

Shweta Desiraju

Sara Drango

Fatemeh Gheshlaghpour

Nicholas Herzog

Stephanie Hong

Quoc Dang Hung Ho

Minkwang Jang

Daniel Katz

Xinyao Kong

Juan Mejalenko

Natalie Moore

Timothy Schwieg Andrew Sharng

Semyon Tabanakov Sophie (Jiarui) Wang

Ningyin (Ariel) Xu

Shuqiong (Lydia) Zhao Grace Zhang

Walter Zhang

Program Expectations and Requirements

The Stevens Doctoral Program at Chicago Booth is a full-time program. Students generally complete the majority of coursework and examination requirements within the first two years of studies and begin work on their dissertation during the third year. For details, see General Examination Requirements by Area in the Stevens Program Guidebook below.

Download the 2023-2024 Guidebook!

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Find the Right Integrated Marketing Communications Program for You

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IMC Full-Time Master's Program

Launch your career in the marketing communications field with an intense five quarters that prepare you to understand and engage consumers, solve marketing challenges and build strong brands in the digital age.

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IMC Professional Master's Program

Expand your authority as a marketing professional through our faculty’s unparalleled leadership and your new relationships and connections with this flexible, hybrid program.

Undergraduate IMC student

Learn how to better engage people in your cause—no matter what type of job you choose to pursue. IMC skills are transferable in a career that requires effective marketing and communication using multiple formats in a strategic and creative way.

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IMC Online short courses

The suite of future-focused courses is designed to provide working professionals with the same high-quality research and insights that help prepare our on-campus students to lead into the future.

Four Integrated Marketing Communications students

Why Medill IMC?

The future belongs to those who understand the art and science of marketing communications. Adopt the IMC "way of thinking" and gain the confidence to be an innovative leader.

  • Combine classroom learning with real-world experiences.
  • Work collaboratively with global companies, faculty and your peers.
  • Create innovative marketing communications strategies.
  • Understand and engage consumers in the digital age.
  • Balance qualitative and quantitative data to build strong brands.

Our integrated marketing communications programs will help set you apart from others in the industry and prepare you for the future.

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How is IMC different from an MBA?

The Medill IMC master’s program uniquely prepares you to excel in marketing communications in any industry. Everything you learn at Medill will be centered on consumer understanding. The master's program that is right for you depends on the skills you want to develop for your future career path.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The diversity of students, faculty and staff at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications has been a source of innovation, excellence and leadership throughout our history.

Today Medill continues its commitment to creating an inclusive environment and to providing equity in opportunities regarding research, teaching, administration and student services. Medill is dedicated to creating a socially just community by strengthening policies, developing programs, and fostering acceptance for a broad range of communities and concepts. We aim to welcome students, staff and faculty from diverse backgrounds and support them so they may thrive in our community.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are also essential to the professional skills we teach in preparing our students for careers in media.

Innovation is in our DNA: IMC Research Groups

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IMC Spiegel Research Center

Proving the relationship between customer engagement and purchase behavior, the Spiegel Research Center (SRC) is focused on evidence-based, data-driven analysis. The center conducts studies focusing on consumer behavior in social media and on mobile devices. The experienced SRC researchers provide evidence that shows which types of customer engagement with media and brands results in financial impact.

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Retail Analytics Council

The Retail Analytics Council (RAC) is the leading organization focused on the study of consumer shopping behavior across retail platforms and the impact of technology. Established in August 2014, RAC is an initiative between Medill IMC, Northwestern and the Platt Retail Institute.

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Intent Lab is a research unit created by Medill IMC and Performics. Its purpose is to find new ways to strengthen brands through understanding how consumer decisions are made and how brand engagement can be improved. Intent Lab research enables brands to optimize their marketing communications to drive measurable performance through visibility, relevancy, conversion, sales and ROI.

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Local News Initiative

The Medill Local News Initiative is an innovative research and development project aimed at providing greater understanding of how digital audiences engage with local news and finding new approaches to bolster local news business models.

Your Medill IMC Network

Christiana Stewart

Christiana Stewart (IMC15) North America Director of Email Marketing, Nike

Jose Costa (IMC04) Chief Executive Officer at Magnolia Wash Holdings

Jose Costa has a long track record of leading large, multi-unit retail organizations with responsibility of +$2B in annual sales. Costa has increased organizational performance in multiple industries through identifying and realizing new growth opportunities, developing integrated strategies, and hiring and developing exceptional talent

Charlotte Tsou (IMC02) Head of Marketing Analytics & Insights, Prudential Financial

A 20+ years multi-national leader, Tsou has held several leadership positions in the U.S., Asia, and Latin America. In her current role as head of marketing analytics & insights for Prudential Financial, Tsou oversees enterprise marketing analytics agenda, primary research, and machine-driven insights and trends generation.

Anthony Fleet (IMC17) Critical Communications Manager, United Airlines

Kristen Nomura (IMC03) Director, Display & Video Go-to-Market Strategy, Americas at Google

Nomura is a seasoned strategy and operations leader, with experience leading go-to-market strategies and operational improvement initiatives for large digital media sales teams.

Craig Greenfield (IMC00) EVP, Customer Success at Mediaocean

Greenfield is a dynamic change agent with a deep understanding of integrated marketing communications and proven experience applying segmentation, targeting, and positioning to create customer value.

Younghee Lee (MSA90) Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung Electronics

Lee oversees Samsung's global brands and strategic marketing communications.

Vijay Viswanathan

Vijay Viswanathan Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications and Associate Dean of IMC

Vijay Viswanathan's research focuses on consumer decision making, especially in the realm of branding, pricing, cross-media consumption and social influence. His research has important implications for the economic impact of managerial decisions related to marketing communications.

Jacqueline Babb Senior Lecturer and Director of IMC Full-Time Program

Jacqueline Babb is a committed and experienced marketing professional and educator with 20 years of experience. She teaches courses in marketing strategy, IMC strategy and digital marketing.

Michelle Weinberger Associate Professor

Michelle Weinberger's research takes a sociological approach to understanding consumers, stakeholders and marketplace actors. She studies socio-cultural aspects of consumption and the role of various forms of marketing communications in creating meaning for stakeholders.

Danielle Robinson Bell Assistant Professor and Director of the IMC Professional Program

Danielle Robinson Bell's area of expertise is strategic communications and its impact on business outcomes for organizations, brands and executives. She specializes in work that advances efforts related to culture, equity, inclusion, women and BIPOC in the workplace.

Ernest Duplessis (IMC96) Associate Professor

Ernest Duplessis was formerly senior vice president of corporate communications and government affairs at Mondelēz International. His career includes over 25 years of public relations, internal and external communications, investor relations and government affairs experience spanning corporate America and the U.S. Military.

Nancy Hobor Associate Professor

Nancy A. Hobor is a senior lecturer in Medill’s Integrated Marketing Communications graduate program and has more than 30 years of experience helping companies strengthen their reputations and position themselves internally and externally. Within strategic communications, she has a passion for investor relations and employee engagement.

Ed Malthouse Erastus Otis Haven Professor

Ed Malthouse's research interests center on media marketing, database marketing, advertising, new media and IMC. He develops statistical models and applies them to large data sets of consumer information to help managers make marketing decisions.

Ashlee Humphreys Associate Professor

Ashlee Humphreys is an associate professor at Medill. Trained as a sociologist, she examines core topics in consumer behavior and marketing strategy. Her research investigates the role of legal and cultural institutions in creating markets, the influence of language on consumer judgments of legitimacy, and the process of consumer co-creation.

Lan Nguyen Chaplin Professor

Take the Next Step

Chose the right IMC program for you:

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IMC Opportunities For Northwestern Undergraduates And Marketers

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This program is for you if you want to build upon your Northwestern undergraduate major with a specialized certificate covering marketing, communications, advertising, digital strategy, social media, analytics and more.

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Designed to provide working professionals with the same high-quality research and insights that help prepare our on-campus students to lead into the future, these courses focus on delivering functional tools and frameworks, allowing you to obtain industry-relevant skills in a format that suits modern lives and busy schedules.

The History Of IMC Program At Medill

Download an accessible PDF version of the Medill IMC timeline

Best MBA Marketing Programs

Ranked in 2024, part of Best Business Schools

Earning a marketing MBA can help you understand

Earning a marketing MBA can help you understand consumer behavior, enhance your communication skills, expose you to market research and much more. These are the top business schools for marketing MBA programs. Read the methodology »

For full rankings, GMAT scores and employment data, sign up for the U.S. News Business School Compass .

See online MBA rankings.

Here are the Best MBA Marketing Programs

Northwestern university (kellogg), university of pennsylvania (wharton), university of michigan--ann arbor (ross), duke university (fuqua), stanford university, columbia university, university of chicago (booth), harvard university, new york university (stern).

SEE THE FULL RANKINGS

  • Clear Filters

marketing phd reddit

Evanston , IL

  • # 1 in Marketing
  • # 3 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$81,015 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

1,442 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (Kellogg) offers these departments and concentrations... Read More »

Business school

Tuition and fees.

$81,015 per year (full-time)

ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

Average gmat (full-time).

marketing phd reddit

Philadelphia , PA

  • # 2 in Marketing
  • # 1 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$79,800 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

1,754 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$79,800 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Ann Arbor , MI

  • # 3 in Marketing
  • # 12 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$70,392 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$75,392 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

734 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (Ross) offers these departments and... Read More »

$70,392 per year (in-state, full-time)

$75,392 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Durham , NC

  • # 4 in Marketing  (tie)

$75,000 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

787 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University (Fuqua) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$75,000 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Stanford , CA

$79,860 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

873 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Graduate School of Business at Stanford University offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$79,860 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

New York , NY

  • # 6 in Marketing

$84,496 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

1,512 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Columbia Business School at Columbia University offers these departments and concentrations: accounting, business... Read More »

$84,496 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Chicago , IL

  • # 7 in Marketing

$80,961 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

1,307 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Booth School of Business at University of Chicago (Booth) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$80,961 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Allston , MA

  • # 8 in Marketing
  • # 6 in Best Business Schools

$74,910 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

1,953 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Business School at Harvard University offers these departments and concentrations: accounting, business analytics... Read More »

$74,910 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

  • # 9 in Marketing
  • # 7 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$84,180 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

639 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University (Stern) offers these departments and concentrations... Read More »

$84,180 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

University of California, Berkeley (Haas)

Berkeley , CA

  • # 10 in Marketing

$69,814 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$82,059 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

509 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley (Haas) offers these departments and concentrations... Read More »

$69,814 per year (in-state, full-time)

$82,059 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

marketing phd reddit

University of Texas--Austin (McCombs)

Austin , TX

  • # 11 in Marketing
  • # 16 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$51,238 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$56,814 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

454 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The McCombs School of Business at University of Texas--Austin (McCombs) offers these departments and concentrations... Read More »

$51,238 per year (in-state, full-time)

$56,814 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Santa Clara University (Leavey)

Santa Clara , CA

  • # 12 in Marketing
  • Unranked in Best Business Schools

N/A TUITION AND FEES

0 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University (Leavey) offers these departments and concentrations... Read More »

See all 42 Ranked Schools

Get the U.S. News Grad Schools School Compass and start finding the grad schools school that's right for you. You'll have access to expanded data including GMAT scores, financial aid information, graduate salary and employment statistics and more!

More Schools in this List (Alphabetical)

marketing phd reddit

Arizona State University (W.P. Carey)

  • in Marketing
  • # 32 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$29,376 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$51,290 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

115 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University (W.P. Carey) offers these departments and... Read More »

$29,376 per year (in-state, full-time)

$51,290 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Boston College (Carroll)

Chestnut Hill , MA

  • # 46 in Best Business Schools

$62,280 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

161 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Carroll School of Management at Boston College (Carroll) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$62,280 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Cornell University (Johnson)

Ithaca , NY

  • # 15 in Best Business Schools

$79,910 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

577 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University (Johnson) offers these departments and... Read More »

$79,910 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Dartmouth College (Tuck)

Hanover , NH

  • # 10 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$77,520 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

580 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College (Tuck) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$77,520 per year (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Fairfield University (Dolan)

Fairfield , CT

N/A ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University (Dolan) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

marketing phd reddit

Fordham University (Gabelli)

  • # 62 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$120,784 total program (full-time) TUITION AND FEES

The Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University (Gabelli) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$120,784 total program (full-time)

marketing phd reddit

Indiana University (Kelley)

Bloomington , IN

  • # 20 in Best Business Schools  (tie)

$28,992 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

$54,602 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES

219 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University (Kelley) offers these departments and concentrations: accounting... Read More »

$28,992 per year (in-state, full-time)

$54,602 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

IMAGES

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VIDEO

  1. What Purpose does Spiritual Knowledge Serve?

  2. PHD

  3. NETWORK MARKETING PHD DEGREE || power of Direct selling #milifestylemarketing #networking

  4. American Marketing Association (AMA) and The PhD Project

  5. Never confuse education with intelligence, you can have a PhD and still be an idiot 1

  6. PhD in Marketing Webinar

COMMENTS

  1. What could I do with a PhD in Marketing? : r/PhD

    Before my Phd. I was actually working in a marketing analytics firm. I went for Phd. because I read somewhere that in Phd. they teach all these quantitative method. I wanted to get into data science at that time. But now I realize that with the knowledge about the business world, I more suited for a business consulting role.

  2. Marketing

    Marketing. The doctoral program in Marketing draws on a variety of underlying disciplines to research important marketing management problems centered on the immediate and future needs and wants of customers. Students in the marketing program work closely with faculty in the Marketing Unit and engage in a broad spectrum of disciplinary bases.

  3. Marketing

    The Behavioral Lab is an interdisciplinary social research laboratory open to all Stanford GSB faculty and PhD students. The lab's research primarily spans the fields of organizational behavior and behavioral marketing, and covers a rich and diverse array of topics, including attitudes and preferences, consumer decision-making, group dynamics, leadership, morality, power, and prosocial behavior.

  4. Marketing

    The Ph.D. in Marketing. Stern's Ph.D. program in marketing trains students to perform research in a broad array of behavioral areas such as consumer psychology, information processing, and judgment and decision making. The program also teaches students how to conduct research that develops econometric and statistical models to investigate ...

  5. Marketing

    The Kellogg Marketing doctoral program provides rigorous training in the skills required for success as a world-class marketing researcher. This is achieved via coursework, close collaboration with faculty, and intellectual exchange in a department known for its research culture. Our program offers two different tracks in training marketing ...

  6. Top 10 Best PhD in Marketing Programs in the US [2024]

    This online doctorate in marketing includes courses about quantitative data collection and analysis, the complexity of marketing, and digital technology (a PhD in digital marketing is a great specialty!) and consumer behavior. Credits: 60. Tuition: $702 per credit. Acceptance rate: 80.7%.

  7. Marketing

    The Yale Marketing Seminar Series presents recent research papers in marketing. The goal is to bring researchers from other universities to the Yale campus to stimulate exchange of ideas and deepen understanding of marketing trends. Yale School of Management. Edward P. Evans Hall. 165 Whitney Avenue. New Haven, CT 06511-3729.

  8. Marketing

    The program includes a series of marketing PhD seminars, the development of expertise in a particular social science discipline (economics and/or psychology), and technical skills appropriate to the analysis of the problems to be studied. Students select an area for intensive study and develop a program that trains them to comprehend and ...

  9. PhD Programs in Marketing

    The AMA helps potential doctoral students find the right program for them by maintaining a global list of PhD and DBA-granting institutions that offer the opportunity to specialize in marketing. If you would like your institution added to the list below, please email [email protected].

  10. Best PhDs in Digital Marketing

    Yes, you can get a PhD in Digital Marketing online. The best PhDs in Digital Marketing with a fully online format are offered by Northcentral University, Washington State University, and Trident University International. Liberty University offers online DBA programs, which have more hands-on experience than a traditional PhD in Marketing.

  11. Colleges with the Best Doctorate (PHD) in Marketing Programs

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  12. The Best Reddit Digital Marketing Advice

    Reddit's top digital marketing advice. In this section, we've hand-selected some of the best Reddit digital marketing advice on the platform—lightly edited for conciseness and readability—to help you start your career journey. 1.

  13. Marketing PhD

    A Network of Support. At Booth, you'll have access to the resources of several research centers that help to fund marketing PhD research, host innovative conferences and workshops, and serve as focal points for collaboration and innovation.. James M. Kilts Center for Marketing The Kilts Center facilitates faculty research, supports innovations in the marketing curriculum, funds scholarships ...

  14. Earning A Master's In Marketing: Admission, Courses And Careers

    A master's degree in marketing is a graduate degree that prepares students to advance their marketing careers or pivot into the marketing field. Marketing roles rarely require a master's, but ...

  15. Integrated Marketing Communications

    Nancy A. Hobor is a senior lecturer in Medill's Integrated Marketing Communications graduate program and has more than 30 years of experience helping companies strengthen their reputations and position themselves internally and externally. Within strategic communications, she has a passion for investor relations and employee engagement. ...

  16. Best MBA Marketing Programs

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  17. Assistant Men's & Women's Swim & Dive Coach

    Assistant Director of Marketing and Fan Experience. University of Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana NEW! NEW! Assistant Field Hockey Coach. Columbia University ... Berry College has an enrollment of about 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students. The college is located in Rome, Georgia, 75 miles northwest of Atlanta and 75 miles south of ...