Media Planners: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of media planners about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for media planners to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of media planners expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for media planners.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Media Planners?
Do media planners need a degree? What kind of experience do media planners typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for media planners to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Media Planners
Jobs Postings for Media Planners By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 35,149 (48%)
- No Education Listed: 20,750 (28%)
- High School or GED: 9,902 (14%)
- Master's degree: 6,341 (9%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,161 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of media planners. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 48% of positions. In 28% of job listings no education level was listed and in 14% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Media Planners
Jobs Postings for Media Planners By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 7,679 (21%)
- 2-3 Years: 17,412 (47%)
- 4-6 Years: 8,864 (24%)
- 7-9 Years: 1,940 (5%)
- 10+ Years: 1,149 (3%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for media planners. In 47% of job postings for Media Planners, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 24% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 21% of job postings for media planners.
What Kind of Degree Do Media Planners Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for media planners, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 31 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective media planners, and in 2023 a total of 246,439 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective media planners.
Top Degree Programs for Media Planners
Top 5 Degree Programs for Media Planners (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | 49,638 |
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 33,262 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 29,623 |
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | 49,638 |
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 33,262 |
| Health/Health Care Administration/Management. | 29,623 |
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Communication, General. | 11,220 |
| Mass Communication/Media Studies. | 9,221 |
| Radio and Television. | 6,486 |
| Public Relations/Image Management. | 4,513 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | 4,139 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion. | 4,086 |
| Public Health, Other. | 3,119 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,016 |
| Communication and Media Studies, Other. | 2,831 |
| Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling. | 2,374 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other. | 1,994 |
| Music Management. | 1,986 |
| Organizational Communication, General. | 1,835 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other. | 1,470 |
| Sports Communication. | 1,161 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General. | 1,026 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other. | 816 |
| Business/Corporate Communications, General. | 814 |
| Meeting and Event Planning. | 759 |
| Health Communication. | 416 |
| International and Intercultural Communication. | 245 |
| Political Communication. | 221 |
| Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis. | 67 |
| Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management. | 61 |
| Business/Corporate Communications, Other. | 3 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Communication. | 0 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Media Planners
Learn how to evaluate, support and integrate communications efforts to help move businesses in front of their competition, including executing strategic plans, developing print materials, and creating digital content in a variety of professional positions, such as PR specialist, copywriter and marketing coordinator.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Learn to craft clear and effective messages while adding new media communication methods to your professional toolkit.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
The B.S. in Sport Management major provides big-league career opportunities for sports-minded individuals with a head for business. You’ll learn how essential business concepts translate to the sports industry and open the door to a variety of roles.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Stand out with a specialized master’s degree focused entirely on strategically integrating marketing and communication.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Build applied skills in strategic communication alongside valuable insights into healthcare industry leadership and policy with Franklin’s 16-month online master’s in healthcare communications.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 16
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Deepen your understanding of communication principles and become a strategic communication planner and manager with Franklin’s 16-month online master’s in strategic communication.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 16
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Media Planners Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by media planners to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for media planners, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Media Planners
Based on 65,361 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Media Planners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 26,817 | 41% |
| Public Relations | 13,919 | 21% |
| Social Media | 11,983 | 18% |
| Project Management | 11,926 | 18% |
| Newsletters | 10,164 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Media Planners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 49,850 | 76% |
| Writing | 23,829 | 36% |
| Management | 17,528 | 27% |
| Detail Oriented | 16,734 | 26% |
| Research | 15,791 | 24% |
Based on 65,361 job postings related to media planners, marketing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 41% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for public relations, social media, project management, newsletters and journalism were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for media planners, followed by writing, management, detail oriented, research and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 26,817 | 41% |
| Public Relations | 13,919 | 21% |
| Social Media | 11,983 | 18% |
| Project Management | 11,926 | 18% |
| Newsletters | 10,164 | 16% |
| Journalism | 9,753 | 15% |
| Press Releases | 7,621 | 12% |
| Content Creation | 6,310 | 10% |
| Graphic Design | 6,040 | 9% |
| Marketing Communications | 6,024 | 9% |
| Internal Communications | 5,703 | 9% |
| Proofreading | 4,958 | 8% |
| Strategic Communication | 4,620 | 7% |
| Media Relations | 4,588 | 7% |
| Adobe Photoshop | 3,924 | 6% |
| Corporate Communications | 3,486 | 5% |
| Adobe Creative Suite | 3,419 | 5% |
| Branding | 3,388 | 5% |
| Photography | 3,352 | 5% |
| Communication Strategies | 3,287 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 49,850 | 76% |
| Writing | 23,829 | 36% |
| Management | 17,528 | 27% |
| Detail Oriented | 16,734 | 26% |
| Research | 15,791 | 24% |
| Planning | 14,868 | 23% |
| Presentations | 13,803 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 13,471 | 21% |
| Leadership | 13,176 | 20% |
| Microsoft Office | 11,986 | 18% |
| Coordinating | 11,305 | 17% |
| Editing | 11,125 | 17% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 11,094 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 11,041 | 17% |
| Operations | 10,066 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 9,386 | 14% |
| Self-Motivation | 9,214 | 14% |
| Organizational Skills | 9,181 | 14% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 8,887 | 14% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 8,809 | 13% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about media planners? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for media planners.
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