Email Marketing Career Path: Your Guide to Leveling Up

Email marketing is a strategy used by marketing professionals to reach an audience and requires a team effort. This career path encompasses various email marketing positions that allow employees to work together and handle specific, individual tasks while developing email marketing strategies. Many businesses realize the benefits of reaching their customers through email marketing, so the industry continues to grow, which means the demand for email marketing careers also grows. 

Various roles exist within email marketing, and understanding what each one encompasses may help you decide what interests you and make that your niche. Explore how you can level up in your email marketing career path by building your skills and gaining experience as a marketing professional.

Getting started: Entry-level email marketing jobs

The first step in getting an entry-level email marketer job is developing the necessary skills to work in digital marketing. An internship can help you hone your skills in different types of email marketing, build contacts in the industry, and gain industry-specific knowledge.

To start in an entry-level role as an email marketer, you must communicate clearly while conveying ideas. The ability to creatively think outside of the box in ways to gain customers' attention is another important quality. Consider taking a course or a certification program to gain more knowledge in the industry. To become a successful email marketer, it is important to understand data and how to use it to your benefit. Some skills you should develop to further your email marketing career include:

• Data analysis and interpretation

• Fluency in digital marketing tools 

• Recognizing social media as a marketing platform

• Juggling multiple projects simultaneously

• Understanding SEO and content marketing

• Willingness to adapt and learn

Email marketing career path: 4 paths to leveling up

Starting out as an entry-level email marketer can help you decide your career trajectory in email marketing or a related field. The knowledge you gain from a job as an email marketer is ideal for learning marketing tactics that can prove useful throughout your career. Choosing an entry-level email marketer position may help familiarize you with career options to strive for in the future. 

Email marketing copywriter

Much like a traditional copywriter, an email marketing copywriter is responsible for crafting engaging emails to attract customers through emails. The main objective of this role is to relate with customers and entice them to buy your product. Some copywriters may be responsible for specific reasons for sending an email, such as promotional and product emails, feedback requests through surveys, company updates, policy changes, and industry-related news. Skills needed to work as a successful email marketing copywriter include:

• Knowledge of copywriting, such as writing, editing, and proofreading

• Comprehension of online content strategies

• Understanding of various marketing strategies

• Experience using Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• The ability to research the subject of the email and the reader

• The capacity to problem solve, manage time, and keep organized

To begin your career as a copywriter in email marketing, first earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or English. Although it is not a requirement, an MBA or a master’s degree in marketing can be beneficial if you want to advance into leadership roles. 

Email marketing coordinator

The responsibilities of an email marketing coordinator vary but usually involve handling daily management of emails by scheduling, testing, and tracking email performance. The main skills you should have when working in this role include:

• Knowledge of email marketing tools 

• Understanding of how to use analytical skills 

• Experience working in project management. 

In addition to having a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field, email marketing coordinators should also have hands-on experience in marketing—ideally with a portfolio showcasing their work on email campaigns.

Email marketing specialist

Like the coordinator role, an email marketing specialist writes emails to segmented readers and tracks campaign results to see if any improvements are necessary. Mid-level email marketing specialists focus more on executing and optimizing strategies. You write emails, manage contact lists, and gather insight into the target audience, among other duties. You might also perform technical and design duties depending on the job description. Other useful skills for both entry-level and mid-level email marketing specialists include:

• Writing

• Design

• Creative thinking

• Knowledge in coding and analytic skills.

Although it is not always a requirement, a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and an internship and additional certification can help advance your career. 

Email marketing manager

An email marketing manager is responsible for leading the marketing team and overseeing all email marketing strategies and teams, including copywriters, coordinators, and specialists. You ensure all email marketing campaigns and initiatives align with the company’s business objectives. To advance your career from an email marketing specialist to a manager, employers look for the qualities of a leader with a strategic plan for the future. Other skills that are beneficial to the role of manager include:

• Leadership skills

• Strategic campaign planning

• SMS experience

How much can you make? Email marketing salaries by role

In the digital era, companies are looking for qualified marketers interested in email marketing. According to Glassdoor, the average salary in email marketing is $59,465. [1]

The average base pay for email marketing roles in the US includes:

• Email marketing assistant: $50,480

• Content marketer: $67,903

• Product manager: $124,915

• Email marketing coordinator: $55,555

• Email marketing copywriter: $65,997

• Email marketing specialist: $65,347

• Email marketing manager: $75,976

• Director of email marketing: $106,132

*All annual base salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of February 2025 and does not include additional pay, such as commission and benefits.

Build your email marketing career on Coursera

Whether starting in email marketing or planning to advance your career to a higher level, consider taking a course or earning a certificate. To expand your knowledge, check out the Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate on Coursera, which includes the Think Outside the Inbox: Email Marketing course, to help you create a successful email marketing campaign. Also, on Coursera, you can learn how to develop an e-marketing strategy with the University of California, Irvine’s three-course series E-Marketing Specialization.