Advertising agency manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an advertising agency manager. Advertising agency managers usually study business, marketing, or communication. 83% of advertising agency managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 8% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 108 real advertising agency manager resumes to see exactly what advertising agency manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for advertising agency managers are the University of Florida and the University of Florida.

There are also many online advertising agency manager courses to help get the education required to be an advertising agency manager.

What education do you need to become an advertising agency manager?

What degree do you need to be an advertising agency manager?

The most common degree for advertising agency managers is bachelor's degree, with 83% of advertising agency managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 8% and associate degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 83%

Associate, 8%

Master's, 6%

Diploma, 1%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an advertising agency manager?

You should major in business to become an advertising agency manager. 14% of advertising agency managers major in business. Other common majors for an advertising agency manager include marketing and communication.

Business, 14%

Marketing, 14%

Communication, 14%

Advertising, 8%

Other Majors, 50%

Most common colleges for advertising agency managers

Advertising agency managers often get their degrees at University of Florida, University of Colorado at Boulder, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for advertising agency managers in the US based on their resumes.

Advertising agency manager common college	Percentages
University of Florida	10.00%
University of Colorado at Boulder	6.67%
New York University	6.67%
Gannon University	6.67%
Cornell University	6.67%

Show more common advertising agency manager colleges

Best majors for advertising agency managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	13.9%
2	Marketing	13.9%
3	Communication	13.9%
4	Advertising	7.6%
5	Public Relations	6.3%

Show more common advertising agency manager majors

Best colleges for advertising agency managers

The best colleges for advertising agency managers are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.

An advertising agency manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for advertising agency managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become advertising agency managers.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

5. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

20 best online courses for advertising agency managers

Advertising disclosure

1. How to Create a Facebook Business Manager Account

By the end of this project, learners will have an understanding about all the features in Facebook Business Manager. Also, using a hands-on approach, learners will create a Facebook Business Manager account. Facebook Manager is a central hub for managing numerous aspects of a business with a Facebook presence. According to Facebook, “Business Manager allows advertisers to manage their marketing efforts in one place and share access to assets across their team, partner agencies and vendors.”...

2. Finance for Technical Managers

In Finance for Technical Managers, you will explore the fundamental principles of financial management. Topics include understanding and interpreting a company’s financial statements, the time value of money and its role in evaluating the economic viability of different projects, and the annual capital budgeting process every company performs when selecting which projects to fund. In addition, you will cover some highly practical topics, such as how to determine product costs, establishing a...

3. Facebook Ads 2023: Launch Your Best Advertising Campaign

4.5

(283)

Move from simple to compelling advertising campaigns with Facebook Ads and increase your value in the business...

4. Leadership: New Manager Training for Technical Professionals

4.2

(766)

Learn to establish yourself as a manager and lead your technical team to success. We are PDU Accredited...

5. Get Started with Facebook Business Manager

By the end of this project, learners will know how to get started with Facebook Business Manager. According to Facebook, “Business Manager allows advertisers to manage their marketing efforts in one place and share access to assets across their team, partner agencies and vendors.” By the end of this project you will know how to create a Facebook page, a Facebook Business page, and understand how to effectively manage your Facebook Business page using Facebook Business Manager. Note: This course...

6. Meta Advertising for Beginners: Facebook Ads & Instagram Ads

4.6

(458)

Set Up Facebook Business Page & Meta Business Manager. Use Meta Business Suite. Launch Traffic & Lead Generation Ads...

7. The New Trainer's Guide to Creating End User Documentation

4.5

(510)

Learn quick, easy and practical technical writing skills to write great end user software documentation - FAST...

8. Digital Marketing Agency Start a Social Media Business

4.7

(4,192)

Build a Digital Marketing Agency Business with Social Media (SMMA), Chat GPT, Facebook Ads, Instagram, Word Press, SEO...

9. Professional Diploma in CRM Platforms Management

4.2

(420)

CRM Platforms at Sales, Service, Marketing and Business Management (Siebel, Dynamics CRM/365, Salesforce, SAP CRM)...

10. Project Management: Simple Software Project Management

4.4

(1,144)

Project Management for NEW Project Managers - knowledge, tools, techniques, skills, checklists, guidelines, pitfalls...

11. Introduction to Programmatic Advertising - Digital Marketing

4.6

(1,595)

Learn the inner workings of a massive digital industry - How advertisers use programmatic to execute their digital buys...

12. Start a Social Media Marketing Agency from Home

4.7

(1,347)

Start Your Own Digital Marketing Agency even if you know nothing about marketing or agencies...

13. Digital Advertising and Marketing 201: Top Topics & Trends

4.4

(1,362)

Advanced Digital Marketing Course Header Bidding, Fraud/Viewability, Big Data, Programmatic, Mobile Advertising & more...

14. Technical Writing: How to Write Software Documentation

4.4

(1,983)

Learn a proven strategy for writing software docu in Git Hub wiki based on the 12 main principles of technical writing!...

15. IT Support Technical Skills Bootcamp

4.5

(1,653)

Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Professionals...

16. Agile Crash Course: Agile Project Management; Agile Delivery

4.5

(82,218)

Agile Project Management Basics (Scrum) & Agile Project Management Essentials (Scrum). Plus Agile Certification (Scrum)...

17. Twitter Ads: Twitter Advertising 2022 Certification Course

4.4

(516)

Used by Spotify, Pepsi, and Twitter itself! Become a capable Twitter Ads manager & get certified in a short, fun course!...

18. Ecommerce & Marketing course: Agency, Marketer, Affiliate

4.4

(1,260)

Best Ecommerce & Digital Marketing course, social media marketing, sales funnels, Word Press website, SEO, Ads, .....

19. The Project Management Course: Beginner to PROject Manager

4.6

(44,976)

The Complete Course For Becoming A Successful Project Manager...

20. Microsoft Project ADVANCED: Project Management Technics 3PDU

4.6

(952)

MS PROJECT 2016 ADVANCED Project Management Techniques -incl Enterprise level. HANDS-ON from #1 BESTSELLING INSTRUCTOR...

Top 10 most affordable universities for advertising agency managers

The most affordable schools for advertising agency managers are University of Florida, suny farmingdale, and california state university - dominguez hills.

If the best universities for advertising agency managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for advertising agency managers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

10. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Cost of attendance

22,990

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for advertising agency managers

The hardest universities for advertising agency managers to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for advertising agency managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for advertising agency managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

9. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

10. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for advertising agency managers

The easiest schools for advertising agency managers to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an advertising agency manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for advertising agency managers.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

9. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

10. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

Average advertising agency manager salary by education level

According to our data, advertising agency managers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $86,631 annually. Advertising agency managers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $83,822.

Advertising agency manager education level	Advertising agency manager salary
Master's Degree	$86,631
Bachelor's Degree	$83,822

Advertising agency manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Advertising Agency Managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

Search for advertising agency manager jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs