Marketing at Kent State University at Stark

Kent State Stark's marketing program lands squarely in the middle nationally but trails other Ohio options by a meaningful margin. While the first-year salary of $44,567 matches the national median, it falls 6% below Ohio's state median of $47,602—and sits well behind flagship options like Miami University ($59,043) and Ohio State ($56,465). Among Ohio marketing programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile.

The debt picture is reasonable: $25,000 matches both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates should be able to handle these payments on an entry-level marketing salary. The 19% earnings growth to $52,972 by year four is solid and suggests stable career progression.

The real question is opportunity cost. If your child can access more competitive Ohio programs—particularly the major state universities—they'll likely start $10,000-$15,000 ahead annually. That gap compounds over a career. This regional campus makes sense primarily for students who need to stay local or value smaller class sizes enough to accept lower earning potential. If finances or logistics don't constrain your options, look at the stronger Ohio programs first.