Top 10 MBA Programs in Marketing in the USA

List of Top 10 MBA Programs in Marketing

Marketing is all about understanding people and their needs. As a professional marketeer, you will fill a gap between the consumer and the product. Hence, studying in the US gives you a diverse perspective and enhances your marketing skills. According to US News 2024, these are the 10 Best MBA programs in Marketing that you can enroll in:

Let us discuss each university in detail:

1. Kellogg School of Management

The Kellogg School of Management is ranked #1 among the top marketing programs in the US. Students graduate with an average salary between $62,500 (INR 5,221,870)  and $170,000 (INR 14,203,500) and usually receive an average signing bonus of $30,000 (INR 2,506,500). Some of the highlights of Kellogg are:

• Marketing Faculty: Known for its outstanding marketing faculty, including marketing guru Philip Kotler, the department has a diverse range of expertise, from data analytics to neuroscience.
• Marketing Major Curriculum: The Marketing major helps students understand customer behavior and create customer advantage through marketing analytics. Students choose courses from various specializations like retail analytics, marketing research, and brand management.
• Marketing Club and Kellogg Super Bowl Ad Review: The Marketing Club provides resources and opportunities for students, such as conferences, competitions, and mentorship programs. The annual Super Bowl Ad Review is a unique event where students evaluate and grade the Super Bowl commercials.
• Major Recruiters: Kellogg graduates are recruited by top companies like 3M, Accenture Strategy, Amazon, Google, and many more.

2. Wharton School of Business

The Wharton School of Business is ranked #2 for the best marketing MBA programs, with an average salary of $140,000 (INR 11,697,000) in product/brand marketing. The average GMAT required for admission at Wharton is 732.

• Marketing Faculty and Curriculum: Wharton has the largest marketing department in the world. They offer a variety of courses, including pricing policy and consumer behaviour. Students can choose a joint major in marketing and operations or a special format for the marketing management course. Many marketing electives are also available.
• Marketing Club and Center: The marketing club helps students learn and network outside the classroom. This is facilitated through interview prep classes, conferences, mock interviews, and case competitions. There's also a Graduate Retail Club focused on careers in retail and luxury goods. Wharton also has research centers dedicated to marketing subfields.
• Major Recruiters: Some of the major recruiters for Wharton MBA graduates include Lilly Pulitzer, Bloomingdale's, Tiffany & Co., and Michael Kors.

3. University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (Ross) Business School

The Ross Business School is ranked #3 for the best marketing MBA programs. Graduates have an average salary of $125,000 (INR 11,068,750) and an average signing bonus of $35,000 (INR 309,930). The minimum GMAT score is 710.

• MBA Faculty and Curriculum: The marketing faculty at Ross combines expertise from various fields to address current marketing issues. They are known for their research and ability to translate it into practical applications. The marketing curriculum offers 18 courses with a focus on practical learning.

• Marketing Club and Research Center: The Ross Marketing Club is a large student organization that provides interview and networking support, mock interviews, and case studies. They also host a Marketing Symposium with industry leaders and career fairs.

There are also clubs focused on Retail & Luxury Goods and Entertainment & Media, offering industry-specific events and career treks. The Yaffe Center for Persuasive Communication supports marketing education and research through courses, case studies, speaker events, and conferences.

• Major Recruiters: Major recruiters include multinational packaged goods companies like Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, General Mills, and PepsiCo.

4. Fuqua School of Business

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University is ranked #4 for the best marketing MBA programs. The average GMAT score is 700.

• MBA in Marketing Major Curriculum: Students can choose between a Product Management or Market Analysis and Strategy major. Each major requires specific courses and electives.
• Marketing Research Center: The Duke/Synovate Center for Shopper Insights researches consumer shopping behavior in collaboration with major FMCG companies.
• The Duke Fuqua MBA Marketing Club: The club provides resources and events to prepare students for marketing careers, including a Marketing Symposium, conferences with other MBA programs, industry trips, and interview prep workshops.
• Marketing Integrated Learning Experience (MILE): This program helps students prepare for marketing interviews through workshops on crafting their stories, new product launches, and innovation.
• Major Recruiters: Top employers include Amazon, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, Accenture, Google, Nike, PepsiCo, and BCG.

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5. Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB)

The Stanford Graduate School of Business is ranked #4 for the best MBA Marketing programs, with an average salary of $147,500 (INR 13,061,120) and a signing bonus of $30,000 (INR 2,656,500).

• Marketing Department: The department conducts weekly marketing seminars with research presentations and hires professors known for cutting-edge research. They use a variety of teaching methods including lectures, case studies, group projects, simulations, and role-playing.
• MBA in Marketing Curriculum: Marketing is a foundation course in the first year, covering customer needs and marketing management basics. In the second year, students can choose from about 20 marketing electives like digital marketing, consumer behavior, and product launch.
• The Value Chain Innovation Initiative: This initiative focuses on global value chain innovation through research and collaboration. It explores the social and economic impacts of global dynamics and digital communication on industries and businesses. The initiative sponsors various events and sends members to international partner events.)

6. Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School is ranked #6 for the best marketing MBA programs, with an average salary of $143,750 (INR 12,729,060) and a signing bonus of $31,000 (INR 2,745,050) for marketing roles. The average GMAT score is 726.

• Marketing Faculty and Curriculum: The marketing department has 25 core faculty members and 32 adjunct members. Students take a foundational marketing course in the first half of the semester, then choose from 30-45 electives in areas like product branding, retail, technology, and financial services. These electives cover both traditional topics like digital marketing and pricing strategy and less traditional ones like consumer behavior and decision-making.
• Marketing Association of Columbia (MAC): The MAC student organization hosts speakers and an annual conference where companies present their views on marketing topics. For example, the 2018 conference focused on "Fueling brand growth through disruption" and featured representatives from Facebook and Nielsen.
• Major Recruiters: Major recruiters include IBM, Google, Facebook, KPMG, Morgan Stanley, Citi, and Samsung.

7. Chicago Booth School of Business

The Booth School of Business is ranked #7 for the best marketing MBA programs, with an average salary of $122,000 (INR 10,803,100) and a signing bonus of $30,000 (INR 2,656,000). 

• Marketing Curriculum: The program offers an innovative, data-driven curriculum that combines marketing fundamentals with economics, statistics, and psychology. Students gain practical skills through experiential learning courses. Courses cover areas like marketing strategy, pricing, consumer behavior, and data-driven marketing.

• Co-curricular Activities: Booth offers various marketing-related activities to help students develop skills, network, and build relationships. These include:

1. Marketing Group: Provides career education, networking opportunities, and job search prep.

2. Dean's Marketing Advisory Committee: Manages internal marketing efforts.

3. Case Competitions: Opportunities to solve real-world marketing problems using data.

4. Marketing Conferences: Exposure to current marketing issues and networking.

• Kilts Center for Marketing: Promotes marketing at Booth and offers resources for students, faculty, and alumni. This includes:

1. Speaker Series and Marketing Forums: Interaction with industry experts and CEOs.

2. Marketing Summit: Annual event featuring alumni discussions on pressing marketing topics.

3. Weekly Marketing Workshops: Presentations by leading marketing scholars.

4. Scholarships and Fellowships: Financial support for top students.

5. Career Guidance and Support: Alumni mentorship and connections.

• Major Recruiters: Major recruiters include Amazon, PepsiCo, Samsung Group, and Apple.

8. Harvard Business School (HBS)

The Harvard Business School is ranked #8 among the best marketing MBA programs. Students receive an average salary of $140,000 (INR 12,379,000) and a signing bonus of $35,000 (INR 3,099,250) for marketing roles.

• MBA Faculty and Case-Based Learning Method: Harvard pioneered the case-based learning method. Here, students analyze real or hypothetical business problems and propose solutions. This method exposes students to various data points and helps them develop decision-making skills. Over 80% of the world's business cases are written by HBS faculty.
• Marketing Curriculum: All first-year students take marketing courses to gain fundamentals, analytical, and quantitative skills. These courses explore the role of marketing, buyer behavior, and marketing's relationship with other business functions. In the second year, students can choose marketing electives like E-commerce, creating brand value, or the business of entertainment, media, and sports. Course options are tailored to students' career interests.
• Marketing Club: The active marketing club offers various events for students to connect, with industry professionals, and alumni. They host conferences, and case competitions, and create career opportunities. The club also provides a weekly newsletter with job postings, news, and events. Another club, the retail and luxury goods club, offers industry-specific events, competitions, and an alumni mentorship program.
• Major Recruiters: Major recruiters include Nike, Netflix, PepsiCo, and Levi Strauss & Co.

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9. Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University

The Stern School of Business at New York University is ranked #9 under the US News 2024. Marketing graduates from the Stern School of Business get an average salary of $120,000 (INR 10,626,000) for marketing roles.

• Marketing Department: Stern has over 80 marketing professors who integrate research into teaching and host events throughout the year. The CBS Media Analytics Initiative combines NYU faculty with CBS data for cross-media research.
• Marketing Curriculum: The first year focuses on core courses, including Marketing. In the second year, students can choose from 20 specializations, including Digital Marketing, Entertainment & Media, Luxury Marketing, Product Management, and Strategy. New specializations are added based on student interest and industry trends.
• The Graduate Marketing Association (GMA): This student organization offers programs and events to help students develop their marketing skills and network. Events include knowledge management programs, alumni networking, case competitions, and conferences. Major recruiters include Bayer Healthcare, Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, American Express, and L'Oréal.

10. Haas School of Business

The Haas School of Business at UCLA is ranked #10 for the best marketing MBA programs. The average salary for the MBA Class was $127,570 (INR 11,296,320) with a signing bonus of $29,210 (INR 2,586,540).

• Marketing Curriculum: The MBA program includes 12 core courses that provide a foundation in analytical tools and leadership skills. Students can then choose electives to pursue their specific interests within marketing.
• Marketing Club: The Haas Marketing Club empowers students for marketing careers. They educate and prepare members through academic support, industry speakers, and career resources. Additionally, company visits, alumni events, and collaborations foster valuable connections.
• Major Recruiters: Top recruiters include Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Samsung, Bain, BCG, McKinsey, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Morgan Stanley.

From the Desk of Yocket

Earning an MBA in Marketing abroad exposes students to a diverse and dynamic global business landscape. It equips you with the skills and knowledge you need to thrive in today's competitive market. In this blog, we have discussed the top B-schools offering programs in Marketing. Each offers a robust curriculum, renowned faculty, and extensive career support.

International universities boast a wide array of MBA specializations. This ensures that students can find the ideal program to align with their career objectives. With Yocket Premium, you gain access to a team of counselors with over 15 years of experience, who have helped over 10,000 premium aspirants secure admission to their dream universities. Explore Premium today and embark on your journey towards academic and professional success!