Marketing at Cornerstone University

Cornerstone's marketing graduates start at $42,627—about $2,000 below both state and national medians. That places them in the 40th percentile among Michigan marketing programs, trailing public universities like Michigan State ($57,275) and Central Michigan ($55,296) by substantial margins. The small sample size here (fewer than 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with more data, but the pattern suggests graduates are entering relatively modest marketing roles rather than high-paying corporate positions.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $21,488, graduates owe roughly $4,000 less than typical Michigan marketing students and $3,000 less than the national average. That lower debt load translates to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans with half their first year's salary. For a program at a 73% acceptance rate serving a meaningful proportion of Pell-eligible students, that accessibility matters.

The fundamental question is whether the earnings gap justifies choosing Cornerstone over Michigan's public universities. Students drawn to the private Christian environment may find the tradeoff worthwhile, especially given the lower debt. But families purely focused on ROI should recognize they're likely sacrificing $10,000-15,000 in starting salary compared to state flagship options—a gap that could widen as larger employers typically offer stronger advancement opportunities.