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The 8 best digital marketing courses in the US

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The digital marketing industry is growing at an explosive rate across the world. This is especially during the COVID-19 pandemic as more people are working, learning, and shopping from home. In fact, it is estimated to reach over $640 billion by 2027, up from $322.5 billion in 2020. What’s more, 27 percent of this rapidly growing market is in the US alone. If you’re looking for a new career path that is almost guaranteed to offer strong job security for years to come, digital marketing is an excellent choice. 

There are many skills and tools to know to be successful in digital marketing. If you are pursuing this path, enrolling in the right training program and getting certified is highly recommended. With all of the options available for online learning today, choosing the right program can be overwhelming. To help you decide which program is right for you, we have compiled a list of some of the best digital marketing courses in the U.S.

Methodology used 

We used the following criteria when determining the top digital marketing courses to consider, including:

  1. Depth of curriculum: It’s crucial that students are learning a well-rounded set of skills  that can prepare them for a career in digital marketing, so we confirmed that each program we selected has a solid curriculum. 
  2. Interactive, hands-on learning: Students should be able to put their skills to the test and practice what they’re learning through projects and hands-on assignments that are similar to the same types of tasks they’d work on as a professional digital marketer.
  3. Program recognition: Programs should be offered through accredited institutions. Additionally, upon completion, students should receive a certification from the program. 
  4. Student experience: We look at third-party websites, such as Trustpilot, Mouthshut, and other review websites, to get real feedback from past and present students. We focus on only sharing the programs that were rated positively. 

Based on the above research findings, the following are the eight best digital marketing courses in the United States:

  1. Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing in partnership with Purdue University by Simplilearn
  2. Digital Marketing Specialist by Simplilearn
  3. Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization
  4. AMA’s Digital Marketing Certification
  5. Lynda.com’s Marketing Tutorials
  6. Digital Marketing Certificate Program bt Cornell
  7. Emeritus + Columbia – Digital Marketing Course
  8. Emeritus + Kellogs – Digital Marketing Strategies

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1. Simplilearn Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing in partnership with Purdue University

In Simplilearn’s Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing offered in partnership with Purdue University and co-created with Facebook, students will learn everything they need to know about the different aspects of digital marketing from SEO, SEM, social media and content marketing, web analytics, and more, through a mix of live-instructor-led classes, online self-learning, and real-world projects. Students also get to take master classes from top faculty at Purdue and industry experts from Facebook, work on Harvard Business Publishing case studies, and get access to Facebook Ask Me Anything sessions in this highly interactive and comprehensive program.

Course Highlights

Mode Of Learning: Online bootcamp
Course Duration: Six months
Program Recognition: Purdue-Simplilearn Joint Post Graduate Program Certification; Co-created with Facebook
Alumni Status: Purdue Alumni Association membership
Hands-On Learning: 200+ hours of live interactive learning; Capstone project in five domains; 14+ real-world projects from Yahoo!, TripAdvisor, Mastercard and more; Harvard Business case studies; Masterclasses from Purdue and Facebook; Aligned with the top five Digital Marketing certifications: Google Ads and Analytics, Facebook Blueprint, Hootsuite and HubSpot.
Tools Covered: Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, SEMrush, Moz, Hootsuite, plus 40 more
Capstone Project: Yes
Program Advisors: Jinsuh Lee, Brad Geddes
Fees: $2,250

2. Simplilearn’s Digital Marketing Specialist Master’s Program 

Students enrolled in Simplilearn’s Digital Marketing Specialist Master’s program learn all about the core concepts of digital marketing, including social media marketing, paid ads, SEO, analytics, email marketing, conversion optimization and more. Students also get to work on case studies from Harvard Business Publishing to solve real-world problems. This program is designed in alignment with certifications from Facebook Blueprint, Google Analytics and Ads, OMCP®, Hootsuite and HubSpot. 

Course Highlights

Mode Of Learning: Online bootcamp
Course Duration: One year
Program Recognition: Simplilearn Certificate of Achievement; Facebook Blueprint
Hands-On Learning: Virtual labs for hands-on learning with over 45 projects
Tools Covered: Google Keyword Planner, Google Analytics, Qlik, Bing Ads, and many more
Capstone Project: Yes
Program Advisors: Paul Lewis, Stéphane Hamel
Fees: $1,499

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3. Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization

Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization is broken down into six different courses designed to explore several aspects of the new digital marketing industry. They dive into some of the most recent developments in technology, including 3D printing, and how these new concepts tie into digital marketing. 

Course Highlights

Mode Of Learning: Online
Course Duration: Eight months
Program Recognition: Credits towards a degree in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s online Master of Business Administration (iMBA) program; Individual certificates for hands-on projects
Alumni Status: University of Illinois Alumni status
Hands-On Learning: Complete hands-on projects to earn specialized certifications in several domains
Tools Covered: Web analytic tools, DataViz, and more
Capstone Project: Yes, in partnership with Grainger
Program Advisors: Aric Rindfleisch, Kevin Hartman, Mike Yao, and Vishal Sachdev 
Fees: Free seven-day trial, followed by a monthly cost of $79

4. AMA’s Digital Marketing Certification

Designed in partnership with the Digital Marketing Institute, AMA’s Digital Marketing program covers essential digital marketing concepts, including content marketing, display and video advertising and SEO. Students enrolled in this program have access to 30 hours of self-paced learning. Upon completion, students can then find a local testing center to earn their dual-certification. 

Course Highlights

Mode Of Learning: Online
Course Duration: 30 hours of self-paced learning
Program Recognition: PCM® Digital Marketing and Certified Digital Marketing Professional Certification
Alumni Status: AMA membership
Hands-On Learning: Several hands-on exercises, including working on paid ads, email marketing campaigns, and more
Tools Covered: Google Ads, Google Analytics, and more
Fees: $1,955

5. Lynda.com’s Marketing Tutorials

With Lynda.com, aspiring digital marketers can choose from 1,087 relevant courses and 21,687 video tutorials. These courses and videos allow students to hone in on the specific areas of digital marketing they’re more interested in, or they can focus on general digital marketing training. The platform’s monthly membership gives students the ability to stack multiple courses and programs, providing a comprehensive and well-rounded training experience. 

Course Highlights

Mode Of Learning: Online self-learning
Course Duration: 60 to 90 minutes for each course 
Program Recognition: LinkedIn Learning Certifications
Job Assistance: Students receive full access to LinkedIn Premium
Hands-On Learning: Exercises, assignments and quizzes
Tools Covered: Google Tag Manager, Google Data Studio, Constant Contact, and many more
Program Advisors: Brad Batesole, David Booth, Matt Bailey, Corey Koberg, and more
Fees: Monthly membership at $29.99/month billed month-to-month, or $19.99/month billed annually

6. Cornell’s Digital Marketing Certificate Program 

Cornell University offers an in-depth digital marketing program that can be completed in as little as two months. The program consists of four separate courses. The small class sizes ensure personalized instruction. It is a perfect solution for both aspiring and current marketing managers, product managers, entrepreneurs, or anyone else looking to gain more insight into digital marketing. 

Course Highlights

Mode Of Learning: Online self-paced with limited live sessions
Course Duration: Two months
Program Recognition: Digital Marketing Certificate from Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
Alumni Status: No
Program Advisors: Clarence Lee
Fees: $3,600

7. Emeritus and Columbia: Digital Marketing Course

In collaboration with Columbia University, this digital marketing program from Emeritus features 14 immersive modules. The program includes 120 video lectures, five discussions, and other learning tools and materials. Students can also partake in a live Q&A with industry expert David Rogers, a faculty member of executive education at Columbia Business School. 

Course Highlights

Mode Of Learning: Online self-paced learning with limited live sessions
Course Duration: Three months
Program Recognition: Verified digital certificate of participation from Emeritus and Columbia Business School Executive Education
Hands-On Learning: 10 real-world applications and two simulations
Tools Covered: Major social networks, tools needed for retargeting, metrics of measurement and more
Program Advisors: David Rogers
Fees: $1,400, with a $140 referral discount offered

8. Emeritus and Kellogg: Digital Marketing Strategies

If you are interested in digital marketing data and analytics, this program is the perfect selection for you. This program focuses on data, automation, analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how all these different things come together and play an important role in digital marketing strategies. 

Course Highlights

Mode Of Learning: Online self-paced learning with limited live sessions
Course Duration: Two months
Program Recognition: Digital certification of completion with a score of at least 80 percent 
Alumni Status: No
Hands-On Learning: Hands-on, project-based learning
Tools Covered: AI applications, customer journey mapping, content hubs, and more
Capstone Project: Yes
Program Advisors: Mohanbir Sawhney
Fees: $2,600, with a $260 referral discount offered

Learning more about the different digital marketing courses available can help you make a more informed decision before enrolling. Whether you’re new to digital marketing or looking to expand your skillset and grow in your career, you can be assured that you’re receiving high-quality training by enrolling in any of the programs outlined in this guide. 


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