Find Out Exactly What You
Should Be Paid

Best Value Colleges For Marketing Careers

If you love making deals, telling stories and convincing people how to spend their money, you may want to consider a career in marketing or sales. Read More

Find Out Exactly What You
Should Be Paid

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ROI Type

20-Yr Net Annual %

Rank

School Name

20 Year Net ROI

Total 4 Year Cost

Graduation Rate

Typical Years to Graduate

Average Loan Amount

466 (tie)

Auburn University(In-State)

$308,000

$108,000

71%

5 Years

$31,300

466 (tie)	Auburn University(In-State)
	Annual ROI	7.0%
	Annual ROI	7.0%
	Annual ROI	8.8%
	Annual ROI	8.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$308,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$308,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$338,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$338,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$108,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$108,000
	Grad Rate	71%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$31,300
	Grant Money Received	70%

466 (tie)

Baylor University(Private)

$308,000

$214,000

72%

4 Years

$47,000

466 (tie)	Baylor University(Private)
	Annual ROI	4.6%
	Annual ROI	4.5%
	Annual ROI	6.9%
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$308,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$306,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$384,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$382,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$214,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$216,000
	Grad Rate	72%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$47,000
	Grant Money Received	95%

466 (tie)

Colorado College (CC)(Private)

$308,000

$236,000

86%

4 Years

$21,200

466 (tie)	Colorado College (CC)(Private)
	Annual ROI	4.3%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	8.7%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$308,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$441,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$236,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Grad Rate	86%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$21,200
	Grant Money Received	48%

466 (tie)

Creighton University(Private)

$308,000

$195,000

78%

4 Years

$31,000

466 (tie)	Creighton University(Private)
	Annual ROI	4.9%
	Annual ROI	4.9%
	Annual ROI	7.5%
	Annual ROI	7.5%
	20 Year Net ROI	$308,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$308,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$385,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$385,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$195,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$195,000
	Grad Rate	78%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$31,000
	Grant Money Received	98%

466 (tie)

University of North Texas (UNT)(Out-of-State)

$308,000

$118,000

50%

5 Years

$23,200

466 (tie)	University of North Texas (UNT)(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	6.6%
	Annual ROI	6.5%
	Annual ROI	9.1%
	Annual ROI	8.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	$308,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$305,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$352,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$348,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$118,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$121,000
	Grad Rate	50%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,200
	Grant Money Received	56%

471 (tie)

Howard University(Private)

$307,000

$168,000

60%

4 Years

$31,900

471 (tie)	Howard University(Private)
	Annual ROI	5.3%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	8.6%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$307,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$384,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$168,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Grad Rate	60%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$31,900
	Grant Money Received	82%

471 (tie)

Northern Kentucky University (NKU)(Out-of-State)

$307,000

$112,000

36%

5 Years

$23,200

471 (tie)	Northern Kentucky University (NKU)(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	Annual ROI	6.1%
	Annual ROI	8.4%
	Annual ROI	7.4%
	20 Year Net ROI	$307,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$290,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$335,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$319,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$112,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$129,000
	Grad Rate	36%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,200
	Grant Money Received	84%

471 (tie)

University of Florida (UF)(Out-of-State)

$307,000

$169,000

88%

4 Years

$23,400

471 (tie)	University of Florida (UF)(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	5.3%
	Annual ROI	5.3%
	Annual ROI	6.1%
	Annual ROI	6.1%
	20 Year Net ROI	$307,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$307,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$329,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$329,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$169,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$169,000
	Grad Rate	88%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,400
	Grant Money Received	95%

474 (tie)

Rowan University(Out-of-State)

$306,000

$133,000

67%

5 Years

$30,900

474 (tie)	Rowan University(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	6.1%
	Annual ROI	6.0%
	Annual ROI	8.1%
	Annual ROI	8.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	$306,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$303,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$347,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$344,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$133,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$136,000
	Grad Rate	67%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$30,900
	Grant Money Received	64%

474 (tie)

Rutgers University - Camden Campus(Out-of-State)

$306,000

$172,000

53%

5 Years

$26,400

474 (tie)	Rutgers University - Camden Campus(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	5.2%
	Annual ROI	4.6%
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	Annual ROI	6.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	$306,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$284,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$350,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$328,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$172,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$194,000
	Grad Rate	53%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$26,400
	Grant Money Received	75%

476 (tie)

Kean University(In-State)

$305,000

$110,000

48%

5 Years

$36,400

476 (tie)	Kean University(In-State)
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	Annual ROI	6.5%
	Annual ROI	8.7%
	Annual ROI	8.2%
	20 Year Net ROI	$305,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$297,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$337,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$329,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$110,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$118,000
	Grad Rate	48%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$36,400
	Grant Money Received	61%

476 (tie)

Northern Arizona University (NAU)(In-State)

$305,000

$95,200

52%

5 Years

$25,000

476 (tie)	Northern Arizona University (NAU)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	7.4%
	Annual ROI	7.5%
	Annual ROI	9.9%
	Annual ROI	10.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	$305,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$305,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$340,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$341,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$95,200
	Total 4 Year Cost	$94,700
	Grad Rate	52%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$25,000
	Grant Money Received	70%

478

University of South Carolina - Main Campus(In-State)

$304,000

$101,000

73%

4 Years

$28,200

478	University of South Carolina - Main Campus(In-State)
	Annual ROI	7.2%
	Annual ROI	7.0%
	Annual ROI	8.8%
	Annual ROI	8.5%
	20 Year Net ROI	$304,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$300,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$330,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$326,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$101,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$105,000
	Grad Rate	73%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$28,200
	Grant Money Received	72%

479 (tie)

Florida State University (FSU)(Out-of-State)

$303,000

$147,000

79%

4 Years

$25,700

479 (tie)	Florida State University (FSU)(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	5.8%
	Annual ROI	5.8%
	Annual ROI	6.5%
	Annual ROI	6.5%
	20 Year Net ROI	$303,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$303,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$321,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$322,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$147,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$147,000
	Grad Rate	79%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$25,700
	Grant Money Received	93%

479 (tie)

Iowa State University(Out-of-State)

$303,000

$127,000

69%

5 Years

$27,500

479 (tie)	Iowa State University(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	6.3%
	Annual ROI	6.3%
	Annual ROI	7.7%
	Annual ROI	7.7%
	20 Year Net ROI	$303,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$303,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$331,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$331,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$127,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$127,000
	Grad Rate	69%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$27,500
	Grant Money Received	76%

See Full List

*NOTE: Unranked schools on this list don’t have on-campus living options, so on-campus costs are not available.

In terms of college return on investment, marketing careers and sales jobs are often a good investment. PayScale determines the ROIs for each school based on the salaries of their alumni who go on to work in marketing and sales jobs, regardless of their major.

Marketing and sales are good career paths if you love people or want a job that lets you use your creativity but still earn a high income. These jobs are in high demand -- every employer needs employees to convince their customers to purchase their product or service -- and you need good communication, writing, and analytical and interpersonal skills to succeed. If you are interested in studying English or communications in college but don't know what to do with those degrees, consider marketing and sales as a career path.

In PayScale's College ROI Report, marketing careers and sales careers perform very well. Rhode Island's Ivy League Brown University often delivers a high 20-year net ROI for alumni who go into sales and marketing jobs. Brown alums include seven Nobel Prize winners and eight billionaires, and the school is one of the most selective in the country. On top of that, the University's neighborhood is a federally listed architectural district with a dense concentration of Colonial era buildings.

Business moguls of all types have studied at the University of Pennsylvania. Also an Ivy League school -- and founded by Benjamin Franklin -- UPenn has produced more than its share of famous businessmen, and more billionaires went to UPenn for their undergraduate degrees than any other college in the world. You might call it the nexus of the Three-Comma club.

Stanford University in Palo Alto, California consistently reports a high 20-year net ROI for alumni who go into sales and marketing jobs. Stanford is a pricey school, but with its high ROI, it's worth going into debt for if you get accepted.

The University of California, Berkeley, home to the famous Haas School of Business, is a real deal for California residents who want to work in sales or marketing. Like Stanford, these students probably benefit from proximity to one of the hottest job markets in the country, the Silicon Valley and San Francisco areas. Even the coolest tech start-ups need marketing and salespeople to push their products.