Marketing at Bethany College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 puts Bethany's marketing program in manageable territory, though it's worth remembering these figures come from comparable Kansas programs rather than Bethany's own graduates. Similar marketing programs across the state suggest first-year earnings around $44,400, with an estimated $26,000 in debt—numbers that align closely with what marketing majors typically carry nationally.

The challenge is context. Kansas State and University of Kansas graduates in marketing earn roughly $4,000-6,000 more in their first year out, which compounds significantly over a career. For a smaller liberal arts college like Bethany (79% admission rate, 43% Pell recipients), the question becomes whether the environment justifies potentially trailing the state's flagship programs in early earnings. Marketing is a field where alumni networks and proximity to major metros matter, and Lindsborg's rural location could factor into both internship access and post-graduation job opportunities.

The debt level isn't alarming—it's actually slightly below the national median for marketing degrees—but paired with earnings that hover at the state median rather than above it, there's little financial cushion. If your child thrives in small-school settings and values the Bethany experience beyond salary considerations, the numbers won't sink them. But if maximizing early career earnings is the priority, the state's larger universities appear to deliver stronger outcomes for marketing graduates.