Marketing at Austin Peay State University

Austin Peay's marketing program produces first-year earnings of just $31,334—roughly $9,500 below Tennessee's state median and nearly $13,400 below the national benchmark. This places graduates in the bottom 5% nationally among marketing programs, a significant gap that persists even when comparing only to Tennessee schools, where this program ranks in just the 25th percentile. For context, marketing graduates from UT-Knoxville and Belmont earn nearly $47,000 their first year out, about 50% more than Austin Peay alumni.

The debt load of $23,291 is fairly typical, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 that technically falls within acceptable ranges. However, this metric obscures the real challenge: paying back even average debt becomes considerably harder when starting salaries are this low. The moderate sample size suggests these figures are reasonably reliable, not an anomaly.

For families considering this program, the question becomes whether the 96% admission rate and accessibility justify the earnings deficit. If your child has admission offers from UT-Knoxville, Belmont, or even Middle Tennessee State, those programs deliver substantially better career outcomes. Austin Peay might work for students who need to stay local in Clarksville or require the open-access model, but recognize you're accepting a significant earnings discount compared to other Tennessee options.