What is a Marketing Communications Manager?

Marketing communications managers or MarCom earn a whooping $90,000 a year, and breaking it down makes that roughly $45.00 an hour. They are talented people and are professionals to the core. They perform thorough research of the market and have in-depth knowledge of the business.

Handling a company's sales is a tricky business, but a marketing communications manager makes it look so easy. They keep themselves updated and find cost-effective ways to promote goods and services. Their communication skills are top-notch, and they have an admirably high emotional intelligence as well. One would definitely need the latter if one were to venture into the field.

They major in Marketing with Business following closely and the most common degree level is, unsurprisingly, a bachelor's degree. A master's degree is also highly recommended as a marketing communications manager job is a highly sought after career, and having a higher degree might help in the long run.

What Does a Marketing Communications Manager Do

There are certain skills that many marketing communications managers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed creativity, interpersonal skills and analytical skills.

Learn more about what a Marketing Communications Manager does

How To Become a Marketing Communications Manager

If you're interested in becoming a marketing communications manager, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 80.0% of marketing communications managers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 13.4% of marketing communications managers have master's degrees. Even though most marketing communications managers have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Marketing Communications Manager
Top Marketing Communications Manager Jobs Near You

Marketing Communications Manager Career Paths

In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of marketing director you might progress to a role such as regional marketing director eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title regional marketing director.

Marketing Communications Manager

Average Salary for a Marketing Communications Manager

Marketing Communications Managers in America make an average salary of $84,146 per year or $40 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $117,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $60,000 per year.
Average Marketing Communications Manager Salary
$84,146 Yearly
$40.45 hourly
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Roles and Types of Marketing Communications Manager

The role of a marketing communications manager includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general marketing communications manager responsibilities:

  • Develop a deep understanding product line
  • Define and manage the vlm role end-to-end. Own the vlm job description
  • Establish the strategic direction for the overall portfolio of cgt marketing communications

There are several types of marketing communications manager, including:

Marketing Manager

Role:

A Marketing Manager is a key person with many responsibilities when it comes to finding customers for a product. They contribute to creating and consistently maintaining an identity for the products a company sells and oversees the communication and placement of this brand on the market. They create growth strategies for the business, based on data analysis; organize efforts to promote products, generate revenues, and secure a steady pool of satisfied customers.

Marketing managers find ways to make sure the reputation of their company is impeccable. They design and implement marketing campaigns and track, analyze, and evaluate their performance.

They are creative thinkers who deploy sophisticated technologies to understand the most hidden desires of consumers and are able to frame a product in a way that creates desire, while discovering the channels of communication that hit the nail on the head.

  • Average Salary: $104,550
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Communications Manager

Role:

Public relations, to most, have been thought of as the underrated element in the success of an organization. For those of us who believe in the power of branding and identity, we beg to differ. In 1957, a young public relations Al-Golin gave Ray Kroc a cold call to discuss a potential in marketing for his/her fast-food chain, McDonald's. With a $500 monthly retainer, he/she ran the initiative in encouraging positive newspaper write-ups, contributing to trust banks, and pioneering the hamburger university for employee training. The regal yet humble image McDonald's restaurants carry today is a result of the unwavering vision Al-Golin saw 63 years ago.

The primary role of a communications manager is centered around managing a company's public relations. This involves tasks such as developing marketing materials, executing communications strategies, and producing media reports. Besides that, they oversee publication projects and lead the marketing team.

Employers require a communications manager to have a bachelor's degree that relates to business or communications. At least two years of work experience need to be demonstrated. This role earns, on average, $29 per hour and suits individuals who are passionate about public liaison activities.

  • Average Salary: $81,304
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Director Of Communications And Marketing

Role:

The director of communications is integral to a company's public perception. In some organizations, the roles are split in two - director of communications and director of marketing. In these situations, the communications director is concerned with maintaining a positive public perception while the marketing director focuses on the company's products and services.

When these roles are combined, the individual is responsible for handling company marketing campaigns. They determine the best price for products, create campaigns based on a target audience, and promote their product. They will also create communication strategies within the business. Other responsibilities include assessing the business's communication channels, modifying them, and designing new ones.

To become a director of communications, you'll need at least a master's degree in communications, business administration, marketing, or related fields. You'll also need many years of experience - the exact number varies between employers.

  • Average Salary: $87,324
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
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States With The Most Marketing Communications Manager Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active marketing communications manager jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where marketing communications managers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Marketing Communications Manager Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California6,250$96,559
2Texas3,056$70,728
3New York2,541$84,747
4Florida2,237$69,932
5Illinois1,932$80,428
6Washington1,755$101,508
7Pennsylvania1,752$73,360
8Virginia1,730$80,448
9Massachusetts1,616$94,257
10Georgia1,607$81,575
11North Carolina1,482$90,948
12Ohio1,159$71,160
13Minnesota1,143$78,369
14Maryland1,141$90,365
15New Jersey1,058$90,898
16Colorado1,029$68,343
17Michigan1,008$71,659
18Arizona855$69,686
19Wisconsin800$78,366
20Utah794$69,984
21Indiana734$73,097
22Oregon733$75,936
23Tennessee723$71,177
24Missouri681$66,233
25Connecticut677$89,065
26Kentucky479$69,134
27South Carolina473$66,410
28Alabama430$63,996
29Kansas414$65,046
30Iowa410$71,879
31Arkansas399$65,887
32Louisiana351$68,196
33Nebraska319$62,990
34Nevada305$76,096
35Oklahoma277$72,343
36Mississippi263$66,655
37Maine256$70,445
38Delaware233$85,074
39New Mexico233$66,539
40Idaho221$79,157
41West Virginia191$81,309
42South Dakota186$69,995
43Rhode Island185$81,877
44New Hampshire184$73,001
45Hawaii175$77,918
46North Dakota164$67,495
47Montana155$71,853
48Alaska142$77,013
49Wyoming141$61,773
50Vermont130$71,375

Marketing Communications Manager Education

Marketing Communications Manager Majors

Communication
17.2 %
Business
16.3 %
Marketing
15.9 %

Marketing Communications Manager Degrees

Bachelors

80.0 %

Masters

13.4 %

Associate

5.2 %

Top Colleges for Marketing Communications Managers

1. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

2. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

5. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

8. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

10. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

Top Skills For a Marketing Communications Manager

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 8.4% of marketing communications managers listed web content on their resume, but soft skills such as creativity and interpersonal skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Marketing Communications Manager Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Marketing Communications Manager templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Marketing Communications Manager resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Marketing Communications Manager Resume
Marketing Communications Manager Resume
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Marketing Communications Manager Resume
Marketing Communications Manager Resume

Marketing Communications Manager diversity

Marketing Communications Manager Gender Distribution

Female
Female
68%
Male
Male
32%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among marketing communications managers, 67.7% of them are women, while 32.3% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among marketing communications managers is White, which makes up 74.6% of all marketing communications managers.

  • The most common foreign language among marketing communications managers is Spanish at 42.5%.

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Best States For a Marketing Communications Manager

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a marketing communications manager. The best states for people in this position are Washington, California, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. Marketing communications managers make the most in Washington with an average salary of $101,508. Whereas in California and Massachusetts, they would average $96,559 and $94,257, respectively. While marketing communications managers would only make an average of $90,948 in North Carolina, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Washington

Total Marketing Communications Manager Jobs: 1,755
Highest 10% Earn:
$157,000
Location Quotient:
1.5

$101,508

Avg. Salary

View 1,755 Marketing Communications Manager Jobs In WA

2. District of Columbia

Total Marketing Communications Manager Jobs: 481
Highest 10% Earn:
$141,000
Location Quotient:
1.79

$98,013

Avg. Salary

View 481 Marketing Communications Manager Jobs In DC

3. California

Total Marketing Communications Manager Jobs: 6,250
Highest 10% Earn:
$148,000
Location Quotient:
1.34

$96,559

Avg. Salary

View 6,250 Marketing Communications Manager Jobs In CA
Full List Of Best States For Marketing Communications Managers

How Do Marketing Communications Managers Rate Their Jobs?

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Top Marketing Communications Manager Employers

Most Common Employers For Marketing Communications Manager

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Meta$148,678$71.4818
2Dell$124,891$60.0418
3Microsoft$124,384$59.80118
4Accenture$123,734$59.4940
5Novartis$123,726$59.4817
6Intel$114,514$55.0526
7General Electric$111,325$53.5216
8Cisco$111,219$53.4743
9Motorola Solutions$110,661$53.2019
10IBM$108,973$52.3943
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Marketing Communications Manager Videos

Career Advice on becoming a Marketing Manager by Sarah S (Full Version)
Katie O'Leary - Marketing Communications Manager

Becoming a Marketing Communications Manager FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Become A Communications Manager?

It takes about five to ten years of work experience to become a communications manager. This is typically in addition to a bachelor's degree, usually in journalism or communications.

Communications managers typically need at least a bachelor's degree, but many have master's degrees. Usually, these degrees are in journalism, marketing, or communications. However, other common degree programs are psychology or business management.

How Much Do Marketing Communications Managers Make?

Marketing communications managers make an average salary of around $80,000 in a year. This varies somewhat between the top earners and the bottom 25 percent. Top earning marketing communications managers earn around $125,000 in a year.

What Degree Do You Need To Become A Marketing Manager?

You need a bachelor's degree to become a marketing manager, preferably in marketing, business, or a related field. Your degree coursework should include classes in marketing and sales, communication, and the visual arts.

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

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Updated April 6, 2023