Advertising & Promotions Managers Careers: Employment & Salary Trends for Aspiring Advertising & Promotions Managers

Advertising & Promotions Managers at a Glance

Advertising & promotions managers plan and direct advertising activities to stir interest in a specific product or service. Advertising & promotions managers may work for an advertising agency, public relations firm, newspaper or magazine, or directly for the company that sells of offers the product or service.

Advertising & promotions managers also manage advertising and promotions staff. They may coordinate exchanges between the company they work for and other advertising agencies that may be handling certain aspects of any given ad campaign, and they may also create advertising materials and promotions such as posters, coupons, contests, and giveaways.

Advertising & promotions managers often work in offices under stressful conditions as a result of deadlines and performance demands. Travel is often required as is the ability to convey ideas to a wide range of potential clients. Advertising & promotions managers may travel to meet clients as close as the nearest city to as far away as overseas. In many cases, advertising & promotions managers will be required to work evenings and weekend hours as well.

Schools to Consider:

Employment Trends

Job Outlook: Average increase
Annual Openings: 2,955
Percent Growth: 12%
Total Jobs Held: 47,000 (2006)
Projected Employment: 50,000 by 2016
The Best 500 Jobs Overall Ranking: 344

Source: “Best Jobs for the 21st Century,” JIST Publishing 2009. Farr, Michael and Shatkin, Laurence, Ph.D.; “Salary Facts Handbook,” JIST Publishing 2008. Editors @ JIST.

The need for advertising & promotions is expected to grow at an average pace over the next seven years. As advertising continues to grow on a global level, job openings will increase. The need for computer savvy advertising & promotions managers will increase as well.

Salary Trends

In 2009, advertising & promotions managers earned an average salary of $78,250 per year. This figure represents a 6.6% increase over 2008 ($73,060). Advertising & promotions managers in the 90th percentile can expect to earn around $145,600 per year, while 75th percentile advertising & promotions managers can expect to earn $109,030 per year. Entry-level advertising & promotions managers can expect to earn a starting salary of around $36,230 per year.

Degrees and Training Programs

59.8% of all advertising & promotions managers have a bachelor’s degree and 9.8% have a master’s degree. Around 17.1% have some college, but individuals without a college degree earn an average of 15% less than individuals with a college degree. For entry into the field of advertising & promotions, a college degree in advertising, communications, journalism, marketing, or business is preferred. While a master’s degree is not required to advance to management positions, when it comes to promotions, master’s degree holders typically have an advantage over bachelor’s degree holders.

Coursework Required

Depending on the program (communications, journalism, advertising or business), aspiring advertising & promotions managers will take classes that cover design techniques, advertising theory, communications, business management, marketing strategy, media management, campaign methods and techniques, and computer technology. It is important to note than aspiring advertising & promotions managers with superior computer skills will have more job opportunities to choose from.

Did you know that some of today's most popular products had dismal first year sales? In its first year, the Volkswagen Beetle sold only 333 units. In 2008, it sold more than 1 million units. Liquid paper sold 1,200 bottles its first year. Today it sells more than 22 million bottles per year in 31 countries.