If you are interested in a career in marketing within Iowa choose
from the resources below.
 | What is the Industry like in Iowa? |
| What are the Major Firms? |
| What are Salaries like in Iowa? |
| What School Programs are Available? |
Iowa Marketing Job Industry
Iowa made CNBC’s list of “Top States for Business in 2010”, coming in at No. 6. Factors such as the low cost of doing business and the strong economy contributed to the impressive ranking. With a diverse economy that includes everything from financial services and technology to agriculture and manufacturing, marketing teams are needed in Iowa to help a wide variety of companies thrive in the state’s healthy economy.
Among the three Fortune 500 companies that call Iowa home is Principal Financial of Des Moines, a financial services powerhouse with global reach. The financial services industry has always maintained close ties with marketing and public relations firms. In the wake of the great recession, the bedraggled financial services industry has needed effective PR and advertising more than ever to polish-up its tarnished reputation. Principal Financial has used its huge PR and advertising budget to this end in recent years, which has been a boon to area PR firms that have been lucky enough to get contracts with this global firm.
Iowa Job Statistics
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In keeping with the diversity of Iowa’s economy, the other two Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the state couldn’t be more different, both in terms of their products and their market segment: Casey’s General Stores of Ankeny, and the Cedar Rapids-based aerospace and defense company, Rockwell Collins. In this robust business climate, marketing professionals have been called upon for many years to help build these brands from the ground up, and establish these companies as among the most successful in the US.
Agriculture will forever be an inseparable part of Iowa’s economy. The state’s strong manufacturing industry is mainly farm-centric, and includes farm machinery and food processing. Considering the interdependent nature of agribusiness and the manufacturing industry, marketers are relied on to develop successful business-to-business campaigns that connect the state’s farmers with its machine manufacturers and processing plants.
Marketing Firms in Iowa
Businesses in Iowa depend heavily on the state’s marketing firms to promote growth and ensure success, whether a family farm or a Fortune 500 company.
According to Hoover’s, the research arm of Dunn & Bradstreet, Iowa’s top revenue-generating marketing firms are as follows:
- Strategic America, Inc.
- Two Rivers Marketing Group
- Flynn/Wright, Inc.
- K G A N-T V
- Stelter Company, Inc.
The following firms are the top employers of marketing professionals in the state:
- Affina Corporation
- Sears, Roebuck And Co
- Kragie/Newell Advertising, Inc.
- Strategic America, Inc.
- K G A N-T V
Professional Associations
Professional associations exist to encourage, support and assist the marketing community in Iowa. Individuals in the marketing field may join the American Marketing Association, which has an Iowa Chapter in West Des Moines as well as one in neighboring Omaha, NE to gain access to learning and networking opportunities.
The state’s large agricultural sector also has industry-specific marketing associations, including a chapter of the National Agri-Marketing Association, which is the largest association in the world for marketing professionals in agribusiness.
Marketing Salaries in Iowa
Marketing professionals in Iowa make well above the state’s average salary. Marketing managers earn an average of $106,760 per year, and market research analysts and specialists bring in an average of $49,460, according to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As of the Bureau’s 2011 survey, there were 1,600 marketing managers employed in the state, along with 3,090 market research analysts and specialists.
Advertising and Promotions Manager Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 170 advertising and promotions managers employed throughout Iowa in 2011. Their average salary statewide was $82,210, while those in the top ten percent averaged $111,760. The highest paying are throughout the state was Des Moines where there was an average of $101,640 and those in the 90th percentile averaging more than $187,199.
Market Research Analyst Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 3,090 market research analysts and marketing specialists employed throughout Iowa in 2011. Their average salary statewide was $49,460, while those in the top ten percent averaged $80,170. One of the higher paying areas throughout the state was Sioux City where the average was $62,160, which was about 20% more than the state’s overall average.
Marketing Managers Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1,600 marketing managers employed throughout Iowa in 2011. Their average salary was $106,760, while those in the top ten percent averaged $177,300. One of the higher paying areas within the state was Council Bluffs where the average was $133,780, which was about 20% above the overall state average.
These tables provide salary and employment information compiled by the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2011. The data contained herein does not include self-employed marketing professionals.
* These figures represent earnings that are at or above $90.00 per hour or $187,199 per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish earnings beyond $90.00 hourly or $187,199 yearly.
Marketing Degrees in Iowa
More than 20 schools in Iowa offer undergraduate degrees in marketing, from associate’s degrees through community colleges to bachelor’s degrees through public and private universities.
Advanced degrees in marketing – both master’s and doctorates – are available at nearly 20 more schools in the state.
Online schools are also an option for marketing students. Many offer hybrid degrees that combine business and marketing.
Among the great public and private colleges in Iowa are many online and campus-based schools offering marketing programs. Here is a list of a few that might meet your educational criteria in Iowa: