Marketing at Baker College

Baker College's marketing program lands squarely in the middle on earnings—outperforming 60% of Michigan programs and edging above the national median—but the debt load tells a different story. At $36,504, graduates carry significantly more debt than typical marketing majors in Michigan (where the median is $25,450). That's over $10,000 more borrowed for a program that delivers middle-of-the-pack earnings. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 means graduates start with debt equal to roughly 10 months of their first-year salary, which is manageable but not ideal given the limited earnings growth.

The concerning part is what happens after graduation: earnings inch up only 2% over four years, from $45,136 to $46,130. Meanwhile, graduates from Michigan State or Central Michigan see significantly higher starting points ($57,275 and $55,296 respectively) that likely compound over time. For an 88% acceptance rate school, Baker provides accessible entry into marketing, but parents should weigh whether the higher debt burden makes sense when their child could potentially access comparable or better outcomes at public universities with lower sticker prices. The moderate sample size suggests reliable data, so this pattern is worth taking seriously when comparing financial aid packages.