Marketing at University of Minnesota-Crookston

At first glance, this marketing program's $44,555 starting salary seems reasonable—it's essentially at the national median. But context matters: among Minnesota's 21 marketing programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile, trailing the state median by nearly $5,000. For families considering in-state options, that's a meaningful gap, especially when the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities and Duluth campuses produce graduates earning $15,000 to $10,000 more annually. The debt load of $22,587 is manageable relative to that first-year salary, creating a 0.51 ratio that shouldn't overwhelm new graduates.

The critical caveat here is sample size—with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, these numbers could swing considerably year to year. A few graduates landing particularly strong or weak positions can skew the entire picture. That instability makes it harder to predict what your child's actual outcome might be.

For Minnesota families, this program works if you're prioritizing the smaller campus environment at Crookston and your child needs the structure and support that comes with it. But if maximizing earning potential is the priority, the Twin Cities or Duluth campuses offer proven track records of stronger outcomes in the same field. The difference in starting salary could compound to hundreds of thousands over a career.