Marketing at Western Illinois University

Western Illinois University's marketing graduates earn less than 80% of their peers at comparable Illinois public universities like Northern Illinois or Illinois State, while taking on above-average debt. Four years out, earnings climb to $54,456—a solid 36% increase—but starting at just under $40,000 makes that first year tight when managing $29,592 in debt. Among Illinois marketing programs, this lands at the 40th percentile, meaning six out of ten alternatives in-state deliver stronger starting salaries.

The positive story here is manageable debt relative to earnings (0.74 ratio) and notable growth potential—graduates who stick with it see meaningful salary progression. The concerning part is the initial earning power: at the 22nd percentile nationally, most marketing programs elsewhere launch students into higher-paying positions right away. Compare Western Illinois to U of I Urbana-Champaign's $69,273 or even Illinois State's $51,687, and the gap becomes hard to ignore for families prioritizing immediate return on investment.

If your student has compelling reasons to attend Western Illinois—location, fit, or specific opportunities—the debt load won't crush them, and earnings do improve. But purely from an earnings standpoint, several Illinois public universities offer marketing programs with substantially better early-career outcomes for likely similar tuition costs.