Media Planning Career Guide: Roles, Salary 2025 & Future Scope

Updated on Aug 22, 2024 10:22 IST
Akansha Bisht

Akansha BishtSenior Executive

A career as a Media Planner is a very exciting and vast that needs creativity, analytical skills and strategy to help businesses and organizations to effectively reach their target audiences through many media channels. Media planners play a very important role in the Advertising industry. They work in a close connection with the clients, creative teams and media buyers to develop and execute media strategies that maximize the impact of advertising campaigns.

Media planning career provides various job opportunities to graduates which are Media Assistant, Media Planner, Media Director, Media Analyst etc. The average salary of a Media Planner is INR 6 LPA.

After graduation, students who want to pursue their career as a Media planner can either enroll for a Master's degree in any of the relevant fields such as Media Studies, Marketing and Communication or can opt for jobs. The top recruiters for Media planners are Star India, Sony Pictures Networks India, Times Group, Network18, Omnicom Media Group, etc. To know more about the career scope in Media planning, Read the article further.

Top Career Profiles in Media Planning

Job Profile

Average Salary

Media Planner

INR 4-8 LPA

Media Director

INR 15-33 LPA

Media Manager

INR 10-18 LPA

Senior Media Planner

INR 6-12 LPA

Media Strategist

INR 8-15 LPA

Source: multiple external sites, hence the info may vary.

Media Planning Career Scope in India: Jobs, Salary and Further Education

The following is a list of important industries in which media planning graduates might advance their careers -

Job Sector

Details

Advertising Agency

  •  WPP
  •  Omnicom
  •  Publicis

Digital Marketing Firms

  •  Ogilvy
  •   Havas Media
  •   Merkle

In- house Marketing Departments

  •  Coca-Cola
  •   Procter & Gamble
  •   Nike

Broadcast and Media companies

  •   NBC
  •   BBC
  •   Sony Entertainment Television

E-Commerce and Retail

  •   Amazon
  •   Walmart
  •   Flipkart

Entertainment and Event

  •   Disney
  •   Universal Pictures
  •   Live Nation

Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals

  •    Pfizer
  •   Johnson & Johnson
  •   Medtronic

Financial service

  •   JPMorgan Chase
  •   HDFC Bank
  •   Allianz

Source: multiple external sites, hence the info may vary.

Courses after Graduation in Media Planning

Media Planning graduates can opt for specialized master’s courses or post-graduate programs that can help them to develop the important skills and knowledge. Take a look at some of the courses that you can choose -

Courses

Description

Postgraduate Diploma in Media Planning and Buying

This course typically covers the fundamentals of media planning including media buying, audience research, media strategy and campaign evaluation. It is designed for those looking to specialize in media planning right after graduation.

Master’s in Media Management

A Master’s degree in Media Management provides a broader understanding of the media industry including media planning, production, distribution and management. It is ideal for those who are looking to combine strategic management skills with media planning expertise.

Advanced Program in Media Planning and Strategy

This course is aimed at professionals who want to deepen their expertise in media planning and strategy with a focus on the latest trends and technologies in the field.

PG Program in Marketing Communications

This program covers all aspects of marketing communications including media planning brand management, consumer insights and advertising. It is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of how media planning fits into overall marketing strategies.

MBA in Media and Entertainment

This MBA program combines traditional business administration with a focus on the media and entertainment industry including media planning, content management and digital transformation.

Source: multiple external sites, hence the info may vary.

Media Planner Top Recruiters

Here is the list of top recruiters of this course -

Top Recruiters For Media Planner

Hindustan Unilever

Procter & Gamble (P&G)

Coca-Cola

Nike

Google

Facebook (Meta)

Amazon

Spotify

The Walt Disney Company

Warner Bros.

Viacom CBS

Group M

Deloitte Digital

PwC Digital Services

ICICI Bank

Omnicom Media Group

Airtel

Microsoft

Tata Motors

SBI

Mahindra & Mahindra

Best Media Planning Course Colleges for Placements (In India)

Media Panning Course Government Colleges

Average Salary Offered

Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) ,Delhi

INR 5 LPA

Sophia College for Women, Mumbai

INR 4.78 LPA

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore

INR 6.32 LPA

Tamil Nadu Open University

INR 3 LPA

Sri Padmavathi Mahila)University

INR 1.80 LPA

Below is the list of Private Colleges Offering Media Planning Courses in India:

Media Planning Course Collages

Average Salary

Calcutta Media Institute (CMI), Kolkata

INR 2.30 LPA

Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC), Pune

INR 5.74 LPA

Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC), Mumbai

INR 5.5 LPA

Delhi School of Communication (DSC), New Delhi

INR 7 LPA

Amity School of Communication, Noida

INR 3 LPA

Media Planning Courses FAQs

Q. What are the best/worst parts of being a media planner?

A. The benefits and drawbacks are mentioned below for the reference of the students:

Here are the Pros of becoming a media planner: 

  • Work on different campaigns and use of different strategies in many media channels
  • Career growth is very good
  • You will get a chance to work with the new technology

Here are the Cons of becoming a media planner: 

  • There will be tight deadlines waiting for you
  • You will have to deal with high pressure most of the times
  • Managing the budget
  • Ready to deal with long working hours

Q. What are the top 10 tips for becoming a professional media planner?

A. The 10 tips are as below:

- Understand basics

- Stay updated with trends

- Develop analytical skills 

- Pay attention to details 

- Learn the tools

- Build relationships within the industry

Q. What is the difference between a Media Planner and a Media Strategist?

A. Media Planner works on ad placement also deciding where, when and how to place the ads so the ad can reach the audience but the wok of Media Strategist is to make the strategy for finding the target audience, selecting the campaign objectives and then finalizing it. After that selecting the best mix of media channels that can work for the channel.

Q. What is the importance of media planning?

A. Well essentially, media plans are data-backed documents that outline who will be targeted, across which channels, when, and with which advertisements.

A media plan also provides clear goals and sets strict budgetary constraints. Today’s media landscape is more complex than ever before which means talented media planners play a vital role in the growth of many businesses.

These savvy and well-organized professionals use their understanding of print and digital media to target the right audiences and to drum up interest in a product or service. For these reasons, media planners are also in high demand.

Media planners need to do lots of research – as well as have the right tools – if they’re aiming to market effectively.

Q. What is the average salary of a media planner in India?

A. The average salary of a media planner in India can be around approx INR 4 and INR 7 LPA for entry to mid level positions. But the senior roles can earn salaries around approx INR 10 LPA which also depends on experience, location and even the size of the organization.

Q. Is a media planner a good job for the future?

A. Yes, media planning is a very good career for the future. The demand for skilled media planners is increasing day by day as the media industry is getting better with the advancements in digital technology. Also, most of the companies are taking ads and branding seriously because of the competitive market

Q. What is the highest post in Media planning?

A. The highest post in media planning is the Chief Media Officer (CMO) or the Media Director. These roles involve overseeing the entire media planning and buying process, setting strategic direction, managing teams and ensuring that media investments align with broader business objectives.

Q. What is the starting and highest salary in a Media planning career?

A. You can expect a starting salary that typically ranges between INR 3-6 LPA, while experienced professionals can earn up to INR 15-25 LPA, depending on their expertise and location.

Q. What are the best colleges to pursue Media planning?

A. There are some Top colleges that offers media planning courses which consist of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC), Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA), Delhi School of Communication (DSC) and Symbiosis Institute of media and communication (SIMC) etc.

Q. What career profile I can apply for other than a Media planner?

A. You can apply for the following career profiles:

- Media Buyer

- Digital Marketing Specialist

- Brand Strategist

- Market Research Analyst

- Social Media Manager

Table of content
  • Popular Media Planning Colleges in India
  • Popular Private Media Planning Colleges in India
  • Popular Exams
  • Most Popular Courses
  • Popular Media Planning UG Courses
  • Popular Media Planning PG Courses

Popular Media Planning Colleges in India

Following are the most popular Media Planning Colleges in India. Learn more about these Media Planning colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
40 K
1 Course
1.98 L
5 LPA
1 Course
4.5 L
1 Course
5.0
4.78 LPA
20 K

Popular Private Media Planning Colleges in India

1.02 L
4.98 LPA

#36 The Week

7.8 L
3.0
40 K
1 Course
1.98 L
5 LPA
1 Course
4.5 L

Popular Exams

Following are the top exams for Media Planning. Students interested in pursuing a career on Media Planning, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.

31 Oct ' 25

Last Date for submitting Qualifying Exam result (...

14 Jul ' 25 - 15 Oct ' 25

JMI Entrance Exam 2025 Counselling

Oct '25

SAT Registration Deadline for November Test

TENTATIVE

Nov '25

FTII JET 2025 Commencement of Classes

TENTATIVE

10 Nov ' 25

Last Date to Pay Seat Acceptance Fee (Extended)

14 Nov ' 24 - 30 Oct ' 25

CGCUET 2025 Registration

Popular Media Planning UG Courses

Following are the most popular Media Planning UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

UG Courses

Popular Media Planning PG Courses

Following are the most popular Media Planning PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.

PG Courses

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