Location: West Palm Beach, FL•In-State Tuition: $37,990•Admission Rate: 88%•Avg SAT: 1101
Median Earnings (1yr)
$39,743
21st percentile
40th percentile in Florida
Median Debt
$24,861
2% above national median
D/E Ratio: 0.63 ManageableSample: 26 graduates Limited data

Analysis

Palm Beach Atlantic's marketing graduates earn nearly $4,000 less than the typical Florida marketing grad and roughly $5,000 below the national median—landing them in the 21st percentile nationally but closer to the middle (40th percentile) among Florida programs. That's a meaningful gap when you consider Florida's top marketing programs produce graduates earning $50,000+, with UF and Miami both breaking $53,000. The roughly $40,000 first-year salary puts this squarely in "entry-level retail or sales coordinator" territory.

The debt load of about $25,000 isn't catastrophic—it's near the national average and represents a 0.63 ratio to first-year earnings. However, when Florida marketing grads typically carry $21,000 in debt, that extra $4,000 matters over a 10-year repayment period. Keep in mind this data comes from a small graduating class (under 30 students), so one exceptionally high or low earner can skew the numbers significantly.

For a private Christian university charging premium tuition, these outcomes don't suggest strong career placement or alumni network advantages in South Florida's competitive marketing landscape. Unless the faith-based environment is non-negotiable, Florida's public universities deliver measurably better earnings outcomes at lower cost—a gap that compounds significantly over a career.

Where Palm Beach Atlantic University Stands

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

Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityOther marketing programs

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

Earnings Distribution

How Palm Beach Atlantic University graduates compare to all programs nationally

Palm Beach Atlantic University earns $40k — 21th percentile among marketing bachelors programs.

Compare to Similar Programs in Florida

Marketing bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Florida (33 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityWest Palm Beach$37,990$39,743—$24,8610.63
University of FloridaGainesville$6,381$56,454$67,098$15,5740.28
University of MiamiCoral Gables$59,926$53,622$71,357$19,0000.35
Florida Institute of TechnologyMelbourne$44,360$52,158—$31,0000.59
Florida Institute of Technology-OnlineMelbourne$12,240$52,158—$31,0000.59
Florida State UniversityTallahassee$5,656$49,808$62,764$18,2500.37
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 Palm Beach Atlantic University, approximately 25% 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 26 graduates with reported earnings and 24 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.