Marketing is a versatile degree that prepares graduates for a wide range of careers. As a professional discipline, marketing is a vital function of any business operation, whether it’s a local shop or a multinational corporation.
Marketing encompasses all activities related to the creation, promotion and distribution of goods and services by producers, for consumers. Areas of study include buyer behavior, the development of new products, advertising, marketing research and marketing strategy.
Marketing requires a combination of analytical, creative and interpersonal skills. Every company or brand needs a marketing team so there will always be a demand for graduates with marketing skills. According to the Georgetown University website, a recent survey of global executives conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit concluded that in our highly competitive global economy, “The fastest route up the corporate ladder is through the marketing department.”
The great news is that there is huge range of excellent marketing programs available across US universities.
In this article, we'll take a look at some of the top marketing colleges in the US, based on factors such as program reputation, faculty expertise, and graduate outcomes.
Table of Contents
2. Washington University in St Louis
3. Indiana University – Bloomington
4. University of Texas at Austin
6. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
7. University of California, Berkeley
10. University of Wisconsin – Madison
Other Marketing Schools in the USA
How Kings Can Help You Study Marketing at a Top US University
1. University of Pennsylvania
Ivy League University of Pennsylvania’s globally renowned Wharton Business School has a marketing department that offers undergraduate students various courses, programs and concentrations. Here, students can build a personalized degree that suits their career goals.
Image source: University of Pennsylvania - the Wharton School
Undergraduates can focus on marketing, marketing and communications, a joint concentration in marketing and operations management, or a concentration in retailing.
One of the most innovative courses offered currently is Consumer Neuroscience. This program focuses on examining the human brain in order to understand consumer behavior trends. Students learn about eye-tracking measures, face-reading, and neural predictors; technologies that are likely to feature more in the coming years.
The University of Pennsylvania is currently ranked 2nd in Best Undergraduate Business Marketing Programs by the US News and World Report. It was also ranked #1 in the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Business Schools category for 2022-23, and also in Niche’s rankings of Best Colleges for Business in America. It also consistently ranks in the top 5 Business Schools in the US by Forbes.
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $64,400 (US News and World Report).
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Tuition
Tuition and fees at the University of Pennsylvania are $63,452 (taken from U.S. News and World Report)
Acceptance Rate
University of Pennsylvania admissions is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of 6% (taken from U.S. News and World Report).
2. Washington University in St Louis
The Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis offers eight business majors as part of its BSBA program, and marketing is one of them.
Image source: Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis
Students can declare as early as their sophomore year and even combine their degrees with another major in a different school.
During their three years, students complete three experiential learning courses, interdisciplinary research and group projects, and mandatory career prep coursework.
The Washington University in St. Louis Student Enterprise Program (StEP) provides an opportunity for students to own a business on campus that serves the Washington University community. Student owners can supplement the valuable business and entrepreneurial skills they learn in the classroom while gaining real-world experience. Current examples include The Campus Creamery (and ice cream shop) and Repair Unlimited (a smartphone repair and accessory shop).
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $56,400 (US News and World Report).
Location
St. Louis, MO
Tuition
Tuition and fees for the University of Washington in St Louis are are $60,590.
Acceptance Rate
Washington University in St. Louis has an acceptance rate of 13%.
3. Indiana University - Bloomington
Consistently ranked among the top programs in the nation, the Department of Marketing at Indiana University - Bloomington's Kelley School of Business gives students the education, experience, and connections they need to get employment with top firms and organisations after graduation.
Image source: Indiana University Bloomington - Kelley School of Business
Indiana University - Bloomington is currently ranked 3rd in Best Undergraduate Business Marketing Programs by US News and World Report (2022-23).
The University offers a Bachelor of Science in Business (B.S.B.), and required courses for the Marketing major are Marketing Research, Creativity and Communication, Analysis of Marketing Data and Marketing Strategy.
Students can connect with leading employers through the University’s research centers, Undergraduate Marketing Club, Consumer Marketing Academy, Global Sales Workshop and Business Marketing Academy.
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from Indiana University - Bloomington go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $56,300 (US News and World Report).
Location
Bloomington, IN
Tuition
Tuition and fees for Indiana University, Bloomington are $39,120.
Acceptance Rate
Indiana University - Bloomington has an acceptance rate of 85%.
4. University of Texas at Austin
Through the McCombs School of Business at University of Texas at Austin, students can complete a BBA in marketing. The University is currently ranked 4th in Best Undergraduate Business Marketing Programs by US News and World Report.
Image source: University of Texas at Austin - McCombs School of Business
Internship and study abroad opportunities are key components of this marketing degree program, which is recognized for its interdisciplinary, hands-on approach.
According to the university website, the marketing program ‘introduces emerging trends in marketing practice proven by a rigorous foundation in analytical science.’
The aim is to prepare students to drive growth, build sustainable markets, and shape consumer aspiratons worldwide.
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from University of Texas at Austin go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $55,300 (US News and World Report).
Location
Austin, TX
Tuition
Tuition and fees for University of Texas at Austin are $40,996.
Acceptance Rate
University of Texas at Austin has an acceptance rate of 29%
5. New York University
New York University’s prestigious Stern Business School is widely considered one of the best schools for marketing in the US. It is currently ranked 5th in Best Undergraduate Business Marketing Programs by US News and World Report.
Image source: New York University - Stern School of Business
Its location in dynamic Manhattan, New York City, gives students endless opportunity to secure internships and network; positioning themselves for graduate jobs at some of the most enticing and reputable companies in the world, and across a range of sectors. New York is not only a hub for business, but also for hospitality, entertainment, international relations, and academia.
Undergraduates at NYU can obtain a Bachelor of Science in business with a concentration in marketing. The marketing concentration requirements consist of 12 credits, including courses like Consumer Behavior and Research for Consumer Insights.
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from New York University go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $59,500 (US News and World Report).
Location
New York, NY
Tuition
Tuition and fees for New York University are $58,168.
Acceptance Rate
New York University has an acceptance rate of 13%.
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public university and the undergraduate marketing program offered by the Ross School of Business is currently deemed the best (1st) in the US by U.S. News & World Report.
Image source: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor - Ross School of Business
The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor's Michigan Ross Marketing program combines cutting-edge research with emerging technologies and shifting trends to give students a modern and innovative education. Seminars, student organizations, internships and more are all available to students.
Not only do the university and marketing program both have a great reputation, but the city of Ann Arbor has been referred to as "the ultimate college town” by the NY Times. Choosing to study Marketing at this university, therefore, gives students an excellent all-round experience.
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $55,000 (US News and World Report).
Location
Ann Arbor, MI
Tuition
Tuition and fees for the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $57,273.
Acceptance Rate
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor has an acceptance rate of 20%.
7. University of California, Berkeley
UC Berkeley’s BS in business administration boasts a median starting salary of nearly $90,000 for its most recent graduates, according to its website. The University is currently ranked 6th in the undergraduate marketing program in the US by US News & World Report.
Image source: UC, Berkeley - Haas Business School
While there is no marketing concentration, per se, undergraduates take courses focused on marketing, organizational behavior, and accounting.
At UC Berkeley’s Haas Business School, students are taught by faculty members who have been nationally recognized for their research in consumer trends, behavior modeling and marketing strategies.
Companies like Facebook, Google, and Apple have taken part in on-campus recruiting for business students from UC Berkeley. UC Berkeley is also home to highly regarded marketing-related research institutes such as the Haas@Work Program and the Garwood Center for Corporate Innovation at UC.
Location
Berkeley, CA
Tuition
Tuition and fees for UC Berkeley are $43,980.
Acceptance Rate
UC Berkeley has an acceptance rate of 15%.
8. Boston College
Located in the attractive village of Chestnut Hill, six miles south-west of downtown Boston in the state of Massachusetts, Boston College is a private institution that has nine schools, including the Carroll School of Management.
Image source: Boston College
Business majors at Boston College can concentrate in marketing. Marketing Principles is a prerequisite for all other Marketing courses. Beyond the required core course, students must take four courses for the Marketing concentration. Of these four courses, the two required are Customer Research and Insights for Marketing Decisions, and Applied Marketing Management.
The two additional courses may be taken from a range of electives, which include: Consumer Behavior, Pricing and Demand Analytics, Services Marketing, Multichannel Retailing, Integrated Marketing Communications, Digital Marketing, Strategic Brand Management, Design Thinking and Strategy, Sports Marketing, Social Media and Digital Business and New Media Industries.
Boston College's award-winning marketing faculty have been published in some of the most renowned journals in their fields, including the Journal of Marketing and Journal of Consumer Research. The College is ranked #1 in teaching quality among U.S. undergraduate business programs by Poets and Quants.
Of all the business school graduates, 35% venture into the marketing and advertising industries.
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from Boston College go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $63,900 (US News and World Report).
Location
Chestnut Hill, MA
Tuition
Tuition and fees for Boston College are $64,176.
Acceptance Rate
Boston College has an acceptance rate of 19%.
9. University of Notre Dame
Ranked No 13 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report (2022-23), the Department of Marketing at the Mendoza College of Business is home to world-renowned scholars and award-winning instructors.
Image source: University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business
Students attending the University of Notre Dame can major specifically in marketing and will develop analytical thinking, strategic ability and creativity through a range of innovative courses. With particular emphasis on ethics, the curriculum allows students to make the connections between their classes and the roles and responsibilities of marketing in organizations and society.
Marketing majors can choose one of four specialized tracks: digital marketing, marketing decision analytics, brandscaping, or consulting and market development.
Each track consists of three electives, but students can pick and choose from different paths.
Organizations like the Finance Club, Marketing Club, and Undergraduate Women in Business Association give students access to invaluable resources like scholarships, competitions, and research opportunities.
Top recruiters from Mendoza College of Business include Amazon, Coca-Cola, Google, IBM, Nielsen, Microsoft and Procter & Gamble.
Location
Notre Dame, IN
Tuition
Tuition and fees for the University of Notre Dame are $60,301.
Acceptance Rate
The University of Notre Dame has an acceptance rate of 15%.
10. University of Wisconsin - Madison
The Wisconsin School of Business Department of Marketing offers a BBA, an MBA with three career pathways, an MS in Business Analytics digital marketing track, and a PhD program.
Image source: University of Wisconsin - Madison - School of Business
The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business teaches undergraduate students to build successful campaigns by teaching them how to understand clients, gather and analyze research, and use data to develop strategies. It is currently ranked 8th in Best Undergraduate Business Marketing Programs by US News and World Report.
Students can earn a BBA with a major in marketing. Interested students can take coursework to concentrate on product/brand management, retailing and wholesaling, sales management, business-to-business marketing, or supply chain management.
The department is affiliated with two centers of expertise: the Marketing Leadership Institute and the Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management.
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from UW-Madison go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $57,100 (US News and World Report).
Location
Madison, WI
Tuition
Tuition and fees for University of Wisconsin - Madison are $39,427.
Acceptance Rate
The University of Wisconsin - Madison has an acceptance rate of 60%.
Learn how you can gain a guaranteed place to complete your degree University of Wisconsin-Madison through the Kings GO: Madison program.
11. Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private research university in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States.
Image source: Georgetown University - McDonough School of Business
The university is especially known for preparing leaders for careers in government and international affairs, and is one of the top feeder schools for careers in finance and investment banking on Wall Street. Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business 'builds global business knowledge and inspires ethical leaders to serve the common good'.
After completing foundational coursework in the business core, students choose from eight distinct majors to focus their studies; Marketing being one. Marketing majors study topics such as consumer behavior, marketing intelligence, marketing strategy analytics, branding and global marketing.
The Marketing major incorporates strategic thinking, analytical skills and creativity, preparing graduates for a variety of careers including brand management, business development, consulting, and digital marketing.
Marketing majors who earn their bachelor's degree from Georgetown go on to jobs where they make a median starting salary of $63,100.
Location
Washington, DC
Tuition
Tuition and fees for Georgetown University are $62,052.
Acceptance Rate
Georgetown University has an acceptance rate of 12%.
Other Marketing Schools in the US
The following institutions are also widely recognized for the high quality of their Marketing programs:
- Columbia University (New York, NY)
- Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
- Texas A & M University (College Station, TX)
- University of Georgia (Athens, GA)
- University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign (Champaign, IL)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC)
- University of Maryland, College Park (College Park, MD)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)
- University of Florida (Gainesville, TX)
- Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)
- Fordham University (New York, NY)
- Penn State University (University Park, PA)
- Saint Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA)
Study Marketing at a Top University With Kings
With Kings' Premium Universities programs in the US, international students complete the first two years of their bachelor's degree at one of our partner universities (located in Boston, New York, California, Wisconsin and Oregon), before generally transferring to complete their degree at another top ranked university.
These settings provide the optimum place for international students to start their US university degree, offering small classes, and the opportunity to study — and live — alongside American students their own age from Day One.
The extensive support and preparation that we offer also ensures that the vast majority of our students transfer to complete their degree at one of the Top 50 or Top 100 universities in the United States.
So far, Kings students have been accepted to major in Marketing at universities such as UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, University of Illinois- Urbana Champaign, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Penn State University, Indiana University - Bloomington, University of Miami, and Fordham University.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are the top 5 Marketing schools in the US?
Which Marketing school you personally consider ‘best’ will depend on your personal preferences and aims, particularly in terms of specialization. However, the universities featured above are often recognized in rankings as the best in the US for marketing students.
There are several different platforms and organisations which compile university rankings, both overall and specifically for subject areas such as Marketing. Currently (2022-23), the US News and World Report lists the following universities as their best for undergraduate business marketing programs:
- University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Indiana University--Bloomington
- University of Texas at Austin
- New York University
2. Is marketing a good major to do?
Marketing is a good major because it’s extremely versatile and can lead to a variety of high paying, in-demand careers. Marketing skills can be applied across a huge range of industries, giving graduates scope to forge a successful career path within a host of different fields.
The median annual wage for marketing managers was $135,030 in May 2021. (U.S. Department of Labor)
Currently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that marketing careers will increase far better than average; by 17 percent by 2025. By 2025, there will be estimated 1.3 million marketing jobs in the United States.
3. What can you do with a marketing degree?
If you decide to major in marketing, your studies will add a variety of sought-after skills to your résumé that can transfer to almost any sector. Organizations and businesses across every single field - from pharmaceuticals to fashion - all need help finding their audience, and increasing their influence and/or revenues.
With an undergraduate degree in Marketing, you can develop your skills at a range of levels, managerial or otherwise, in key areas that could include:
- Consumer Behavior
- Content Marketing
- Digital Marketing Strategy
- Marketing Strategy
- Market Research
- Marketing Analytics
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Social Media
- Public Relations
Next steps
We hope that this article has helped you understand more about the best marketing schools for undergraduate study in the US, and how Kings Guaranteed Outcome programs can help you get there.
If you would like receive more detailed information about the Kings and our programs, please get in touch with us at us.admissions@kingseducation.com..
