7 Popular Entry-Level Marketing Roles and How to Get Started

Key takeaways

A career in marketing can be a great path to set out on if you enjoy being creative and strategic, and using technology to reach consumers.

• There are many different areas of marketing to get started in, including brand, social media, email, and SEO.

• With multiple pathways to enter the profession, it’s common to start in a junior role supporting a team or manager's larger goals.

• Over time, as you build relevant marketing skills and experience, you can advance in many different directions.  

Learn more about different entry-level marketing jobs you can explore. Afterward, develop your marketing skills by enrolling in the Adobe Marketing Specialist Professional Certificate, where you'll have the opportunity to learn about core marketing principles, social media, graphic design, and AI. Upon completion, you’ll earn a shareable certificate for your resume or LinkedIn profile.

7 popular entry-level marketing jobs

The following entry-level marketing jobs span various marketing areas, such as social media, email, and SEO.

*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of April 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

1. Marketing coordinator

Median annual US salary: $66,000 [1]

A marketing coordinator supports the marketing department's projects and goals. Tasks may include coordinating marketing and community events, assisting with different campaigns, creating content, conducting research, and monitoring campaign performance. Depending on the company, you may be expected to have a bachelor's degree (in marketing, business, or a related field), plus one or two years of experience.

2. Social media coordinator

Median annual US salary: $46,000 [2]

As a social media coordinator, you support the social media manager and team in delivering marketing campaigns across social media platforms. Your job will involve tracking ad results, interacting with followers, and working with content creators to grow a company’s audience. You may need a bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or a related field, along with experience using social media to promote brands.

Related job titles: Social media specialist, social media assistant

3. Copywriter

Median annual US salary: $84,000 [3]

As a junior copywriter, you might work in-house for a media agency or company. Responsibilities include writing content across blogs, social media, ads, and websites, as well as collaborating with creative, product, and other teams within a company to generate winning messaging.

Related job titles: Content creator, content writer

4. PR assistant

Median annual US salary: $57,000 [4]

A PR assistant will assist in writing content to maintain a company’s reputation and ensure the media portrays the facts accurately. Someone in this role may also identify media opportunities and build a network of media contacts. To get a job in this role, you may need a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, marketing, or a related field, along with some experience in PR or corporate communications.

Related job titles: Public relations coordinator, public relations intern

5. SEO specialist

Median annual US salary: $86,000 [5]

An SEO specialist compiles keyword data for search engine optimization, creates SEO-friendly content, monitors site traffic, and stays up-to-date on SEO trends and best practices. To get a job in this role, you may need a bachelor's degree in marketing, English, or a related field, as well as familiarity with SEO strategy. 

Related job titles: SEO analyst, SEO consultant

6. Digital marketing specialist

Median annual US Salary: $73,000 [6]

A digital marketing specialist develops campaigns that span a company's core digital marketing channels, including email, social media, and web. They often support the larger efforts of a digital marketing manager, which may include conducting competitor and customer research, developing written and visual content, and reporting on results.

Related job titles: Digital marketing coordinator, digital marketing assistant

7. Brand ambassador

Median annual US salary: $106,000 [7]

A brand ambassador represents the brand at events, pop-ups, or on campus to drive awareness with specific audiences. This role requires strong interpersonal communication and direct lead generation. This can often be a great way to get started in marketing without a degree.

Marketing areas for entry-level applicants

Marketing is the work of promoting and selling a company's products (or services) by attracting customers, and it includes several areas. If you're interested in a marketing career, you can develop broader marketing skills to apply to numerous areas or specialize in one of the following areas:

• Social media marketing: Using social media to promote and introduce products and services

• Influencer marketing: Collaborating with credible individuals who endorse products through social media, links, and online content

• Content marketing: Creating and sharing material online with blogs, videos, articles, and social media posts to promote products and services

• SEO marketing: Optimizing the on-page and backend elements of a website or web page so that it ranks at or near the top of a search engine results page

• Affiliate marketing: Collaborating and compensating a third party to promote products and services

• Email marketing: Promoting products and services via email by creating a mailing list

• Telemarketing: Marketing products and services via the telephone, either with warm leads or cold calling

• Public relations marketing: Building a public company image to facilitate marketing activities 

How do I prepare for entry-level digital marketing jobs?

Entering the marketing industry involves gaining some experience and qualifications. You can start your career path by choosing from many entry-level roles and then later advance to more senior positions. To maximize your chances of being awarded an entry-level position, consider taking the steps below.

1. Earn a marketing degree.

Entry-level marketing positions are competitive, and even though they are an entry point into a profession, they typically require a certain level of education. Some companies may accept someone without a degree, but having one is usually a minimum requirement, especially if you’re looking to progress to senior roles.

A degree in marketing, public relations, communication, or a similar field will typically be advantageous; however, employers are looking for relevant skills and experience, so other degrees will often suffice. Since marketing is broad, you may go into a more technical career, such as analytics, where a computer science degree would be a good match. 

If you don’t have a degree or your degree is in an unrelated discipline, taking a marketing course or earning a certificate (more on that below), can be a great way to show your interest and verify your knowledge.

Read more: What Can You Do with a Marketing Degree? 11 Job Paths

2. Build marketing skills.

As you conduct your job search and gain experience and education, build the marketing skills that today's employers are looking for. A good way to stay informed about skills that are in demand is to monitor job listings and prioritize on improving the skills mentioned in the description.

Also consider building versatile marketing skills that you can apply to a variety of roles, such as digital marketing, social media marketing, building email campaigns, content creation, using different marketing channels, and marketing analytics.

According to ZipRecruiter's Career Keyword Mapper, which analyzes actual job descriptions and resumes for specific roles, the top skills for a marketing coordinator include [8]:

• Communication skills

• Social media

• Collaboration

• Microsoft Office

• Project management

• Customer service

• Marketing campaigns

3. Gain marketing experience.

To determine the kind of experience that’s most valuable to you, think about the area of marketing that interests you the most. For example, you might enjoy writing, designing, advertising, or analytics. Ways to gain experience include:

• Internships with businesses, organizations, or charities to gain on-the-job experience

• Taking on freelance or contract work

• Completing projects on your own, including starting a blog, creating an interest-based Facebook group, or hosting a fundraising event

How can I get a job in marketing with no experience?

You may still qualify for a marketing role despite not having formal experience by taking steps to set yourself apart from other job candidates. For example, you can boost your resume and portfolio with examples of your unique, personal brand and sample marketing strategies or campaigns. You can also reach out to companies that may be hiring directly through marketing channels like email or social media rather than simply applying to a job posting.

4. Explore certificates and certifications.

Earning certificates to build your knowledge and marketing certifications to verify your knowledge can be excellent investments as you begin a marketing career. These credentials can strengthen your resume, showing employers the extra steps you've taken to formalize your skill set, and help you stand out as a candidate.

5. Build a professional network.

Networking is very valuable for connecting with other professionals in the marketing industry. Knowing someone in the field could help you gain an internship, a volunteer role, a freelance project, or even your first entry-level marketing job. You can network with people you already know, sign up for networking events, network online with websites like LinkedIn, or join social media business groups.

Marketing career advancement

After you've gained a few years of experience in an entry-level marketing job, you can advance to other opportunities, including:

• Senior marketing coordinator

• Social media manager

• Marketing analyst

• Marketing manager

• Brand manager

Stay current with marketing trends

Ready to begin a career in marketing? Connect with other professionals by subscribing to our Career Chat on LinkedIn and explore our free, digital resources, including:

• Watch this video on YouTube: 3 Ways AI is Changing Marketing

• Learn from industry experts: Marketing Career Path: How I Became a Brand Marketing Manager at Coursera

• Add new marketing terms to your vocabulary: Marketing Terms: A to Z Glossary

Then, accelerate your career growth with a Coursera Plus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses. 

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