Location: Boston, MA•In-State Tuition: $55,392•Admission Rate: 47%•Avg SAT: 1359
Median Earnings (1yr)
$41,651
30th percentile
40th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Debt
$24,250
At national median
D/E Ratio: 0.58 ManageableSample: 83 graduates

Analysis

Emerson's marketing graduates start slow but accelerate impressively—launching at $41,651 but jumping 48% to $61,630 within four years. That growth trajectory stands out in a field where early-career earnings often plateau quickly. The $24,250 median debt is manageable, creating a reasonable 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio that improves substantially as salaries climb.

The catch is geography and Emerson's focus. Starting $5,000 below the Massachusetts median suggests the program doesn't immediately compete with business powerhouses like Boston College ($66,227) or Bentley ($60,447). Emerson's liberal arts and communications emphasis appears to channel graduates into creative marketing roles that pay less upfront but offer stronger growth potential than traditional corporate marketing tracks. By year four, many graduates have caught up to or surpassed peers from higher-ranking programs.

For students willing to navigate leaner early years in exchange for career momentum, this works—especially if they're drawn to Emerson's media-adjacent marketing specializations. But families expecting Boston's premium job market to translate into premium starting salaries should recalibrate expectations. The program rewards patience and delivers on growth, just not on day one.

Where Emerson College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all marketing bachelors's programs nationally

Emerson CollegeOther marketing programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How Emerson College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Emerson College earns $42k — 30th percentile among marketing bachelors programs.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Emerson College$41,651$61,630+48%
Boston College$66,227$89,379+35%
Bentley University$60,447$77,885+29%
Stonehill College$50,025$74,083+48%
Suffolk University$44,424$65,958+48%

Compare to Similar Programs in Massachusetts

Marketing bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Massachusetts (28 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Emerson CollegeBoston$55,392$41,651$61,630$24,2500.58
Boston CollegeChestnut Hill$67,680$66,227$89,379$18,0000.27
Bentley UniversityWaltham$58,150$60,447$77,885$26,0000.43
University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst$17,357$58,462$62,209$23,7500.41
Assumption UniversityWorcester$49,414$55,314$62,024$27,0000.49
Stonehill CollegeEaston$54,500$50,025$74,083$26,0000.52
National Median—$44,728—$24,2670.54

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with marketing graduates

Advertising and Promotions Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate advertising policies and programs or produce collateral materials, such as posters, contests, coupons, or giveaways, to create extra interest in the purchase of a product or service for a department, an entire organization, or on an account basis.

$159,660/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Marketing Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm's profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.

$159,660/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Sales Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

$138,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraising Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Web and Digital Interface Designers

Design digital user interfaces or websites. Develop and test layouts, interfaces, functionality, and navigation menus to ensure compatibility and usability across browsers or devices. May use web framework applications as well as client-side code and processes. May evaluate web design following web and accessibility standards, and may analyze web use metrics and optimize websites for marketability and search engine ranking. May design and test interfaces that facilitate the human-computer interaction and maximize the usability of digital devices, websites, and software with a focus on aesthetics and design. May create graphics used in websites and manage website content and links.

$95,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Video Game Designers

Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.

$95,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Search Marketing Strategists

Employ search marketing tactics to increase visibility and engagement with content, products, or services in Internet-enabled devices or interfaces. Examine search query behaviors on general or specialty search engines or other Internet-based content. Analyze research, data, or technology to understand user intent and measure outcomes for ongoing optimization.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraisers

Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.

$66,490/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Survey Researchers

Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

$63,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Emerson College, approximately 15% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 83 graduates with reported earnings and 83 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.