Best colleges for Marketing in Illinois
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois State University and Northern Illinois University are the top bachelor's Marketing programs in Illinois by graduate earnings. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $69,273, College Scorecard. Illinois State University, University of Illinois Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign award the most Marketing degrees in Illinois: 265, 219 and 210 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 53 Illinois colleges offer Marketing and award 1,877 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Marketing program focuses on the principles and practices involved in promoting products and services. It is designed for students interested in understanding market dynamics, consumer behavior, and strategic communication. This…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,273 | 210 | 85% | — | $20,000 |
| 2 | Illinois State University Normal Public · Bachelor's degree | $51,687 | 265 | 65% | — | $20,500 |
| 3 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree | $51,137 | 108 | 49% | — | $23,875 |
| 4 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $51,065 | 138 | 73% | $33,454 | $25,000 |
| 5 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,012 | 205 | 68% | $28,141 | $25,000 |
| 6 | Bradley University Peoria Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,663 | 26 | 76% | $21,768 | $24,017 |
| 7 | North Central College Naperville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,464 | 32 | 64% | $20,052 | $22,312 |
| 8 | Saint Xavier University Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,892 | 35 | 57% | $12,935 | $26,047 |
| 9 | Lewis University Romeoville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,196 | 20 | 67% | $17,632 | $20,000 |
| 10 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,782 | 219 | 62% | — | $18,750 |
Colleges awarding the most Marketing degrees in Illinois
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois State University Normal Public | 265 | $51,687 |
| 2 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public | 219 | $42,782 |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public | 210 | $69,273 |
| 4 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit | 205 | $50,012 |
| 5 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit | 138 | $51,065 |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public | 108 | $51,137 |
| 7 | Aurora University Aurora Private not-for-profit | 66 | $39,482 |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale Public | 41 | $40,244 |
| 9 | Midwestern Career College Chicago Private for-profit | 40 | Not reported |
| 10 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit | 38 | $36,386 |
ShowHide the other 43 Illinois colleges offering Marketing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago | Public | 39 |
| Saint Xavier University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 35 |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | Public | 32 |
| North Central College | Naperville | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| Augustana College | Rock Island | Private not-for-profit | 28 |
| Bradley University | Peoria | Private not-for-profit | 26 |
| Elmhurst University | Elmhurst | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| McKendree University | Lebanon | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake | Public | 21 |
| Lewis University | Romeoville | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb | Public | 19 |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Dominican University | River Forest | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Eastern Illinois University | Charleston | Public | 15 |
| North Park University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Oakton College | Des Plaines | Public | 15 |
| Benedictine University | Lisle | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Monmouth College | Monmouth | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Rockford University | Rockford | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| University of St Francis | Joliet | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville | Public | 9 |
| Concordia University - Chicago | River Forest | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| National Louis University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Trinity Christian College | Palos Heights | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | Public | 7 |
| Illinois College | Jacksonville | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Judson University | Elgin | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Greenville University | Greenville | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | Chicago | Public | 5 |
| Quincy University | Quincy | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Millikin University | Decatur | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Richland Community College | Decatur | Public | 4 |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake | Public | 3 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | Chicago | Public | 2 |
| Triton College | River Grove | Public | 2 |
| Blackburn College | Carlinville | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | Chicago | Public | 1 |
| Hebrew Theological College | Skokie | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey | Public | 1 |
| Principia College | Elsah | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Marketing Managers (SOC 11-2021).
Top skills
What Marketing Managers earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Marketing programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Marketing degrees?+
Illinois State University (265 graduates a year), University of Illinois Chicago (219 graduates a year) and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (210 graduates a year) award the most Marketing degrees in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 53 Illinois colleges offer Marketing.
What is the best college for Marketing in Illinois?+
By graduate earnings, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads among bachelor's Marketing programs in Illinois, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $69,273, College Scorecard. Illinois State University and Northern Illinois University follow. By degrees awarded, Illinois State University is the largest, with 265 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Marketing program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tops the list at $69,273. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Marketing Managers earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for Marketing Managers in Illinois is $170,370 (median $162,860), across about 21,140 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Marketing program?+
The Marketing program focuses on the principles and practices involved in promoting products and services. It is designed for students interested in understanding market dynamics, consumer behavior, and strategic communication. This…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Marketing Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +6.6% growth with around 34,300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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