Marketing at Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University's marketing program significantly outperforms national expectations, with first-year graduates earning $53,081—nearly $9,000 above the national median and ranking in the 87th percentile nationally. This strong performance comes with manageable debt of $25,750, creating a favorable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 that suggests graduates can reasonably handle their loan payments.

Within Michigan's competitive landscape, the program holds its own at the 60th percentile among state schools, trailing only Michigan State and Central Michigan among major universities. While it doesn't match MSU's $57,275 starting salaries, WMU's combination of strong earnings and reasonable debt creates better value than higher-debt alternatives. The 13% earnings growth to $60,095 by year four demonstrates solid career progression.

For parents weighing college investments, this program offers a compelling middle ground: substantially above-average national performance without the premium pricing typically associated with top-tier programs. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates adds confidence to these figures, and the 85% admission rate makes this strong outcome accessible to most qualified applicants.