Digital marketing is fast becoming the most accessible and efficient means of advertising goods and services, and businesses are ditching traditional methods in favor of online advertising strategies. Prospective students are searching for the fastest online digital marketing degrees to get jobs in this new field.
The influx of companies into the digital marketing space has turned it into one of the most lucrative jobs of the 21st century. Fortunately, there are programs where you can earn an online digital marketing degree fast. This article covers the best accelerated online digital marketing degrees, with important information about cost, graduation rate, and job market potential.
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What Is an Accelerated Digital Marketing Degree?
An accelerated digital marketing degree is an academic program with an intensive schedule or flexible transfer credit policy so that you can complete a degree much faster than normal. Also known as a fast-track program, these degrees cover a wide variety of marketing topics on online and digital platforms within a short period.
How Do Accelerated Degrees Work?
Accelerated degrees work by offering shorter, more intensive classes or allowing students to use credits from a previous degree to count towards their current degree. Accelerated degrees have the required credit hours as the equivalent traditional degree. However, there are usually shorter breaks between semesters, and students take classes all year long.
Types of Accelerated Digital Marketing Degrees
The type of digital marketing accelerated degree you pursue depends on your desired level of education and program specialization. The following list explains each accelerated digital marketing degree type and what it entails.
Accelerated Associate Degrees
A traditional digital marketing associate degree is an undergraduate program that takes two years to complete. The accelerated version of this degree is designed to be completed within a year or less. However, accelerated associate degrees are not very common as most students consider the traditional two-year program short enough.
Accelerated Bachelor’s Degrees
Accelerated digital marketing bachelor’s degree compresses three to four years of study into a two-year program. Next to accelerated master’s degrees, these degrees are the most popular among students. The learning structure involves rigorous and intensive study, with short breaks between semesters.
Accelerated Master’s Degrees
Accelerated master’s degrees are generally the fastest and most common types of fast-track degrees. They are designed for adult learners and working professionals with busy schedules. Unlike other accelerated degrees, this degree usually allows students to dictate their learning pace.
Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees
Combined bachelor’s and master’s degrees are also referred to as 4+1 accelerated degrees or dual degrees. This means that students can obtain a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree by adding one year to the undergraduate program. The curriculum enables students to take some of the required credits for their master’s degree during their undergraduate program.
Who Should Get an Accelerated Digital Marketing Degree?
People who want to advance their marketing careers and are working professionals with family commitments should get an accelerated digital marketing degree. It’s also a good fit for people with incomplete degrees who want to complete a degree without starting over. Small business owners can also benefit from an accelerated digital marketing degree to help them expand their businesses.
Accelerated degrees aren’t just helpful in reducing the time spent in school, they also help cut down on education costs. Depending on the strategy employed to speed up your program, you can save up to 50 percent of tuition costs. This makes accelerated degrees desirable for adult learners with financial burdens.
Best Accelerated Degrees
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How to Get a Digital Marketing Degree Fast
- Transfer your credits. Most digital marketing programs allow you to transfer credits from other related programs. You can save time and money by skipping courses you have already taken and applying the credits to your digital marketing program.
- Take summer classes. When you take summer classes, you eliminate the longest break of the year and continue completing courses for your degree.
- Enroll in a degree completion program. If you have earned an associate degree or part of a bachelor’s degree in the past, you can enroll in a degree completion program and continue from where you left off. Rather than starting from the beginning again, you only need to complete the remaining credits needed to graduate.
- Get college credit for work experience. If you already have some work experience in digital marketing, traditional marketing, or another related field, you should look for a school that will give you college credit for work experience. These programs aren’t common, but they do exist.
- Test out of classes. You can quickly obtain your digital marketing degree by testing out of required classes. Testing out means taking a test or examination for a class in which you already have extensive knowledge, without having to take the full class. Some schools offer placement tests or you can take standardized tests like AP tests or SAT subject tests.
What Is the Fastest Online Digital Marketing Degree?
The fastest online digital marketing degree is the online Master of Science in Digital Marketing at Northern Illinois University. The completion time for this program is about one year, allowing students to obtain their online digital marketing master’s degree fast.
Fastest Online Digital Marketing Degrees: The Basics
| Degree Title | School | Required Time |
|---|---|---|
| Accelerated Online Master of Business Administration with Digital Marketing Concentration | Benedictine University | 1 year |
| Online Master of Business Administration in Marketing | Colorado Technical University | 1 year |
| Online Accelerated Master of Business Administration | Montclair State University | 1 year |
| Online Master of Science in Digital Marketing | Northern Illinois University | 1 year |
| Online Bachelor of Science in Business with Marketing Concentration | Capella University | 15 months |
| Online Bachelor of Arts in Digital Marketing | Concordia University, St. Paul | 2 years |
| Online Master of Business Administration with Social Media Marketing Specialization | Saint Leo University | 2 years |
| Online Bachelor of Science in Marketing | Southern New Hampshire University | 2 years |
| Online Bachelor of Science in Digital Marketing | Lindenwood University | 2 – 4 years |
| Online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Marketing Concentration | Walden University | 2 – 4 years |
The Fastest Online Digital Marketing Degrees, Explained
The section below examines the top programs you can study to obtain your online digital marketing degree fast. Read on to learn more about school accreditation, tuition costs, graduation rate, and program curriculum.
- School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Tuition: $800/credit
- Graduation Rate: 47%
- Required Time: 1 year
This program at Benedictine University is designed for future digital marketing professionals who want to develop critical analysis and decision-making skills. The digital marketing concentration option prepares students for a marketing career by teaching them how to drive sales through increased web traffic and social media campaigns.
- School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Tuition: $610/credit hour
- Graduation Rate: 23%
- Required Time: 1 year
Colorado Technical University’s program focuses on leadership skills. It is a 48-credit program with 32 core credits and 16 credits in the marketing concentration. Marketing classes include Marketing in the Digital Age and Marketing Research Methods. Students take intensive five-week courses and can start their degree on nine start dates throughout the year.
- School Accreditation: Middle State Commission on Higher Education
- Tuition: $743.67/credit
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Required Time: 1 year
Montclair State University’s online program covers topics in global marketing trends, marketing analytics, and managerial economics. Students get one-on-one career coaching from academic advisors. This program also adds a unique practical experience to classroom learning through a 10-day international study trip.
- School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Tuition: $903.60/credit hour
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Required Time: 1 year
Online students at Northern Illinois University who can commit to learning full-time can finish this degree in one year. The program covers a wide range of courses from social media strategies to data visualization. Students end the program with a capstone project to turn their learning into practical skills.
- School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Tuition: $357/credit (1000 and 2000 level); $415/credit (3000 and 4000 level)
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Required Time: 15 months
This program teaches students how to create and implement digital marketing strategies. Students at Capella University will also learn about brand identity, communications, and market research skills. Students can transfer up to 135 of the total 180 required credits to earn their bachelor’s degree more quickly.
- School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Tuition: $420/credit
- Graduation Rate: 53%
- Required Time: 2 years
This two-year marketing degree at Concordia University, St. Paul equips students with skills in e-commerce, email and social media marketing, and search engine optimization. Students will also learn how to use Google analytics tools to analyze consumer behavior. This program requires120 credit hours for completion, and students can transfer up to 90 credit hours.
- School Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Tuition: $780/credit hour
- Graduation Rate: 46%
- Required Time: 2 years
Saint Leo University offers this MBA with specialization in Social Media Marketing in on-campus, hybrid, and online formats. The major courses cover topics in strategic management and business communication, and the specialization courses focus on online marketing strategies and digital marketing tools.
- School Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education
- Tuition: $320/credit
- Graduation Rate: 39%
- Required Time: 2 years
The curriculum for this program offers two concentration options in digital marketing and social media marketing. Southern New Hampshire University also offers an accelerated BS to MS program so you continue your online education with an accelerated format master’s degree. Students in this program learn to use branding in mobile marketing and digital advertising.
- School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Tuition: $495/credit
- Graduation Rate: 53%
- Required Time: 2 - 4 years
This online marketing degree teaches students to use design and social media skills to advertise businesses. Students learn from professionals in the field and collaborate with other online students to develop and enhance digital content. Students at Lindenwood University can transfer in up to 90 of the required 120 credits.
- School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Tuition: $333/credit hour
- Graduation Rate: N/A
- Required Time: 2 - 4 years
Walden University’s BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing contains courses on global marketing and trains students to become marketing managers. It features a generous transfer policy that allows students to transfer up to 135 of the required 181 credits. Students can also follow the Accelerate Into Master’s track for their next step.
Fastest Digital Marketing Degree Completion Programs
A degree completion program allows students whose studies were interrupted to earn their degree without starting from scratch. These programs are designed to accept some or all of the transfer credits from the incomplete bachelor’s degree or associate degree. The following list highlights the fastest digital marketing completion programs you can enroll in.
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- Bachelor of Business Administration with Marketing Concentration | Fitchburg State University. Students in this online program learn through seven-week courses in core business classes and marketing electives. Students can transfer up to 90 credits from a four-year school or 75 credits from a two-year school.
- Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing | Roberts Wesleyan College. This program builds a strong foundation in ethical marketing, consumer behavior, and advertising. Students can complete the required 37 credits online or in a hybrid format in one to two years. There are no exams in these online courses, instead, students show their progress through papers, presentations, and projects.
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing | Thomas Edison State University. This program allows students to complete this program at their own pace through a flexible learning structure, and students can transfer up to 90 credits. The curriculum is designed for students pursuing various marketing jobs, including public relations and sales management.
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing | University of Texas Permian Basin. This online program is designed for adult learners and working professionals, particularly those with incomplete degrees. This program trains students in traditional and digital marketing, and students can earn an additional undergraduate certificate in digital marketing to boost their resumes.
- Bachelor of Science in Marketing | Franklin University. Franklin University was founded in 1902 specifically to serve adult students. It features a generous transfer policy that allows students to transfer up to 94 credits of the required 124 credit hours. Students can take classes in search engine marketing, global marketing, and digital marketing analytics.
Do Employers Respect Online Degrees?
Yes, employers respect online degrees because accredited online degrees are held to the same standard as in-person degrees. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, within the past year, 79 percent of organizations hired job applicants with an online degree.
Most schools don’t distinguish between online and in-person students when issuing certificates and transcripts, so the degree you earned through online courses could look the same as an in-person degree. This reduces any chances of discrimination based on the learning format used to obtain the degree.
What Jobs Can You Get with an Accelerated Digital Marketing Degree?
- Marketing Manager | $135,030
- Sales Manager | $127,490
- Social Media Marketer | $69,748
- Market Research Analyst | $63,920
- Social Media Manager | $56,950
Best Accelerated Digital Marketing Degree Jobs
From the best entry-level digital marketing jobs to more senior roles, marketing jobs pay well. Marketing professionals can work within a company as in-house consultants or in an advertising firm with other companies as clients. They can also work independently as consultants to run digital marketing campaigns for multiple clients.
- Average Salary: $135,030
- Job Outlook: 10% growth from 2020 to 2030
Marketing managers develop marketing strategies and advertising campaigns. They also supervise and direct the activities of a marketing team in an organization. Marketing managers are often senior executives who broker advertisement deals with clients and partners. A marketing bachelor’s degree is required, but many employers prefer an MBA in Marketing.
- Average Salary: $127,490
- Job Outlook: 7% growth from 2020 to 2030
Sales managers lead and direct the daily operations of the sales team in an organization. With direction from executives, they set sales goals and quotas and follow up on team progress. Additionally, they plan and implement sales strategies, train new members, and assign target audience territories.
- Average Salary: $69,748
- Job Outlook: 22% growth from 2020 to 2030
Social media marketers are digital marketers who specialize in using social media platforms to promote goods and services. They advertise to large audiences on social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. They apply digital advertising skills they learned during their marketing degree programs to appeal to a broad range of consumers.
- Average Salary: $63,920
- Job Outlook: 22% growth from 2020 to 2030
Market research analysts study market conditions and buyer behavior using data analytics tools to make predictions and drive business strategy. They also collect data on competitors to help companies understand consumer needs, target market demographics, and the optimum price.
- Average Salary: $56,950
- Job Outlook: 22% growth from 2020 to 2030
Social media managers share similar responsibilities with social media marketers but focus more on customer relationships and branding. Some of their responsibilities include investigating social media trends, addressing customer complaints, conducting social media campaigns, and promoting brand identity.
Are Online Digital Marketing Degrees Worth It?
Yes, online digital marketing degrees are worth it because they provide a path to successful marketing careers. Today’s world relies on information technology, and digital advertising is one of the biggest sources of revenue in tech industries. You can get started on your path to becoming a digital marketer by researching degrees and choosing a program to enroll in.
Best Online Bachelor’s Degrees
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Fastest Online Digital Marketing Degrees FAQ
No, you don’t need a degree to become a digital marketer. Digital marketing is a relatively new career path, and some employers don’t have strict degree requirements. However, you may need a certificate to demonstrate your skills. You can attend some of the best digital marketing bootcamps to obtain a certificate in a short amount of time, typically around three months.
It’s not very difficult to study digital marketing. All digital marketing programs provide foundational courses that introduce you to the marketing field. You can also gain practical experience from internships and hands-on projects. Digital marketing requires soft skills, like business communication, that students may not easily learn through an academic program.
The most useful digital marketing strategies include social media marketing, email marketing, and search engine optimization. You might encounter more specialized strategies depending on your field, but these strategies are useful in all forms of content marketing.
According to PayScale, you can earn $96,000 per year with a digital marketing degree. It is possible to earn more depending on your job location, employer, and the number of clients you serve. Many companies also pay bonuses and commissions on each product sale if you meet or exceed their sales quota.
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