How Much Does It Cost To Get An Advertising Degree?
If you are planning to become an advertising executive, the entry point towards your advertising career would be a bachelor’s degree in advertising, public relations, applied communication or related fields. This career path can be very lucrative, especially for those who strive to go up the ranks. Experienced advertising managers earn very comfortable six-figure incomes, based on government data. Before you get there, you will have to go through college and like other students who are planning to do so, cost is certainly going to be one of your (and/or your parents’) topmost concerns.
How much you are going to pay to get your advertising degree depends on whether you are going to study at a public or private institution, take an on-campus or online class and whether you are going obtain postgraduate studies or not. You will also have to factor in your room and board and your lifestyle into your overall cost.
On the average, the annual tuition cost for a bachelor’s degree program in advertising, marketing and related fields is about $8,893 when taken in-state at a public institution and about $22,203 for out-of-state, according to surveys. A bachelor’s degree program taken at a nonprofit private school would cost $30,094 annually. If you aim to proceed with a master’s degree program after obtaining your bachelor’s degree, you’d have to shell out about $7,750 annually if you study at an in-state public educational institution.
Online advertising and marketing courses may also be an alternative to programs taken on campus, especially if you are already working in the advertising industry and want to continue working while obtaining your degree. While they may not necessarily be cheaper all the time, schools offering distance education programs offer working students the flexibility they need to study and earn at the same time. Online schools typically charge by the credit hour.
For a bachelor’s degree in marketing that has a 180 credit hour total, for example, students can expect to pay anywhere from close to $300 to a little over $500. Whether you get your advertising degree online or in-campus, you will have to factor in the cost of books and other supplies into your calculation as well.
The cost of room and board will also have to be included. According to the College Board, the living expense budgets of students living off-campus for one year can range from $15,420 on the low end to $23,010 using the prevailing rate. Of this budget, 55 percent will go to housing, 17 percent to transportation and 28 percent will go to miscellaneous expenses. The picture will be slightly different for those who are living on-campus and won’t have to spend for transportation to get to school. Students who are taking up online classes will be able to save more because they can opt to live in cheaper apartments and aren’t as prone to spending for the expenses that are normally associated with those who are taking up their degrees in-campus.
Students who are studying at local colleges and who can make arrangements with their parents to live at home while obtaining their degree can greatly reduce the overall cost of their college expenses. Following a strict budget is also an effective way of ensuring that you don’t overspend on non-essential items.
If funds are short for your advertising degree, remember that financial aid sources are available for students. These can be in the form of need-based or merit-based scholarships and grants or through student loans. Your school’s financial aid office will guide you through the process of obtaining financial aid. You may also work part-time to help fund your college expenses.
Try to get a job that is related to your advertising degree so that you will have valuable work experience that will enhance your qualifications when you obtain your entry-level job after graduation.
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