Marketing Degree Programs in Hilton Head Island, SC (2026)

Quick answer: The Hilton Head Island metro employs about 450 market research analysts and marketing specialists (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through the employers you want to work for.

Compare marketing programs enrolling now:

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. No state licenses marketers and no examination gates the work. Hiring runs on demonstrated results - campaigns, analytics, growth numbers - with the degree as the standard entry credential for corporate roles. Platform certifications are cheap, fast signals for junior digital positions.

See the South Carolina licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the employers you want to work for.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 10 schools within 205 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 9 of them carry a score. 1 does not have enough federal outcome data to score, and appears last rather than being hidden.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, SC 62.4 miles away BOC Score 77.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 73.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 8
  • Annual completions: 241
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $74,517 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC 125.9 miles away BOC Score 74.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 78.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 22
  • Annual completions: 1247
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $67,741 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, SC 149.8 miles away BOC Score 51.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 13
  • Annual completions: 246
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $52,398 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Anderson University

Anderson, SC 194.2 miles away BOC Score 49.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 67.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 16
  • Annual completions: 146
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $55,541 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Claflin University

Orangeburg, SC 90.6 miles away BOC Score 44.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 50.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 12
  • Annual completions: 51
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $43,925 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Francis Marion University

Florence, SC 152.1 miles away BOC Score 44.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 43.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 67
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $52,141 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, SC 67.5 miles away BOC Score 35.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 47.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 14
  • Annual completions: 103
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,684 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC 90.6 miles away BOC Score 29.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 12
  • Annual completions: 64
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $46,691 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

Limestone University

Gaffney, SC 204.8 miles away
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 31.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 12
  • Annual completions: 103
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,758 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists Earn in Hilton Head Island

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in the Hilton Head Island area earn a median $71,330 per year, below the national median of $78,760 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Marketing Pay in Hilton Head Island, SC

MetricHilton Head Island metroSouth CarolinaNational
Median annual wage$71,330$69,440$78,760
10th percentile$36,220$39,950$43,390
25th percentile$51,800$51,410$58,350
75th percentile$113,450$100,020$108,310
90th percentile$126,570$153,090$155,480
Employment45011,920899,580
Location quotient0.95-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Hilton Head Island median of $71,330 is below the national median of $78,760, and above the South Carolina statewide median of $69,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 0.95 means market research analysts and marketing specialists are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

Marketing employment concentrates where head offices and agencies are, which makes it metro-weighted and increasingly remote-friendly at the same time.

Other South Carolina Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Greenville$71,9102,430
Charleston$65,6502,160
Columbia$68,6001,800
Myrtle Beach$57,840590
Spartanburg$74,510570
Florence$59,280250
Sumter$54,980100

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.


Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do market research analysts and marketing specialists make in Hilton Head Island?

The median annual wage for market research analysts and marketing specialists in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area is $71,330, below the national median of $78,760 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many market research analysts and marketing specialists work in the Hilton Head Island area?

The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area employs about 450 market research analysts and marketing specialists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do market research analysts and marketing specialists in Hilton Head Island need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. No state licenses marketers and no examination gates the work. Hiring runs on demonstrated results - campaigns, analytics, growth numbers - with the degree as the standard entry credential for corporate roles. Platform certifications are cheap, fast signals for junior digital positions. Confirm current requirements with the employers you want to work for.

Can I study marketing online from Hilton Head Island?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the employers you want to work for.

Is Hilton Head Island a better market than the rest of South Carolina?

The Hilton Head Island metro median is $71,330 against a statewide median of $69,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (SOC 13-1161), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.