Entry-Level Marketing Jobs in the US: How to Get Hired in 2026

You want an entry-level marketing job in the US and every listing you open asks for two years of experience. That frustration is real, and the current data makes it worse before it gets better. On 14 October 2026 the JobRise live jobs feed showed 566 open marketing listings in United States, and zero of those 566 carried entry-level wording like intern, graduate, junior, or trainee in the title.

That zero does not mean entry-level work is gone. It means the titles are lying about the level, or the true entry points are hidden in intern programs and referrals instead of open listings.

What the current market actually looks like#

The same snapshot showed 403 of the 566 marketing listings posted in the last 30 days, and 183 posted in the last 7 days. Things move. A listing you saved two weeks ago may already be filled.

Where the jobs sit matters too. San Francisco (124) and New York (100) dominate, followed by Los Angeles (19), Bellevue (13), and Boston (12). Full-time is the norm: 531 full-time, 27 part-time, 7 contract. If you can only work part-time while studying, you are fishing in a very small pool.

The companies carrying the most marketing listings in this snapshot were Brex (36), Anthropic (31), Red Bull (22), CXG (18), Stripe (17), Chime (14), Figma (13), Klaviyo (13), Fivetran (13), and Okta (13). Some of these names on the feed are recruiters or staffing firms, so a role posted under one may actually sit at another company. Read the fine print.

For broader country context, the JobRise Hiring Report for United States showed 13,720 open listings across all categories, with 8,471 posted in the last 30 days. Marketing is a slice of that, not the whole story.

Junior titles you should actually search for#

Since the feed shows zero obvious junior titles, you have to search by function and filter by seniority yourself. Titles that often sit at the entry or near-entry end include:

• Marketing Coordinator
• Marketing Assistant
• Content Coordinator
• Social Media Coordinator
• Email Marketing Specialist
• Marketing Operations Associate
• Communications Associate
• Growth Associate
• Paid Media Assistant
• Brand Associate

A warning about what you will see instead. The snapshot included "Video Producer" and "Video Script Writer" at ConsumerAffairs, "Director, Product Communications" at Figma, "Marketing Manager - Communications & Product" at Procon Consulting, and "Senior Partner Marketing Manager" at Brex. Those are not entry-level. But "Video Script Writer" is closer to the door than "Director" is, and titles like it are where career changers should aim first.

Skills and proof employers expect#

Without experience, you trade proof for tenure. That means showing work, not claiming skills.

Employers hiring junior marketers generally want to see some mix of writing samples, a small portfolio, basic analytics familiarity, and one tool they actually use (an email platform, a CMS, an ad manager, or a CRM). Certifications help, but only the ones tied to tools the job uses. A generic certificate with no project behind it does not move a hiring manager.

What counts as proof at zero years:

• Three writing samples on real topics, each under 800 words
• One small campaign you ran yourself, even for a local business or a club
• A simple one-page portfolio site with those samples linked
• Screenshots or short write-ups of results: email open rate, post reach, signup count
• One certification from a tool named in the job description
• A LinkedIn profile that repeats the same story as your resume

A rewritten zero-experience resume bullet#

Here is the usual weak version, then the rewrite.

Before: "Helped with social media for a small business."

After: "Ran Instagram and email for a neighborhood bakery with no prior marketing experience: wrote 3 posts a week, built a 12-email welcome series in Mailchimp, and grew the mailing list from 140 to 390 subscribers in four months."

The rewrite names the tools, the cadence, and a number you can defend in an interview. If your number is smaller, use it anyway. Honest beats impressive.

Where entry-level openings get posted#

Start at the JobRise marketing jobs hub for United States to see the full current set of 566 listings and filter by city and job type. Then widen.

Company career pages are the single best source for internships and rotational programs, because those often never reach job boards. Search "[company name] university program" or "[company name] intern" directly. Staffing and recruiting firms are also worth registering with, since several of the busiest names in the snapshot, including CXG, are recruiters rather than in-house teams.

Local business groups, alumni Slack channels, and industry communities like the American Marketing Association chapters still surface unposted roles. Boring advice, but it works.

The 7-step plan#

1. Pick one lane. Content, paid media, lifecycle/email, or marketing ops. Do not apply to all four at once. Pick the one where you already have a sample.

2. Build proof in two weeks. Write three samples, run one tiny campaign, collect real numbers. Skip the six-month portfolio project.

3. Rewrite your resume around the proof. Use the bullet pattern above for every role, even volunteer and retail work. A tool like the JobRise resume builder can help you keep the formatting consistent.

4. Set up alerts on the marketing jobs hub and on company career pages for your two target cities. From the snapshot, that likely means San Francisco or New York unless you are targeting Los Angeles, Bellevue, or Boston.

5. Apply to 10 roles per week with a tailored note each. Ten with a real note beats 50 with "please find my resume attached."

6. Track everything in a spreadsheet: company, title, date applied, contact, last follow-up. Follow up once after 7 business days. Then let it go.

7. Prepare for the interview with a 90-day plan. Interviewers for junior roles want to hear what you would learn first, not what you would change first.

The salary reality check#

Only 16 of the 566 listings in this snapshot showed pay at all, and those shown were senior. For example, "Paid Social Manager" at Ramp posted $101K to $154K with equity, and "Product & Technology Communications Manager" at Cohere posted $115K to $210K with equity and multiple ranges. Those are not entry-level numbers.

True entry-level marketing pay in the US varies a lot by city and function, and employers rarely publish it. Treat any specific figure you hear as a starting point for negotiation, and verify current ranges through official sources like your state's wage data or the company's own postings before you rely on one.

Free tools#

• Marketing jobs in United States
• JobRise Hiring Report: the US
• free resume builder

FAQ#

Is it worth applying if a listing asks for 2 years of experience?

Apply anyway if you meet most of the hard requirements. Many "required" years are a wish list, and a strong portfolio sample gets read before the years get counted.

Do I need a marketing degree to break in?

No. A degree helps for large formal graduate programs, but most hiring managers care more about samples and tool familiarity. If you lack a degree, compensate with a portfolio and one real campaign.

How long does it usually take to land an entry-level marketing role?

Plan for two to four months of consistent applications if you are applying weekly and iterating on your materials. If you are not getting interviews after 30 applications, the resume or targeting is the problem, not the market.

Are internships still available if I already graduated?

Many are, especially at larger companies, though some are restricted to current students. Look for "associate," "coordinator," and "fellow" titles as the post-graduation equivalents.

Should I take a contract role to get in?

Contract work can be a good door, especially with staffing firms like CXG that appear in the current listings. Just read the duration and conversion terms before you accept, and keep interviewing elsewhere.