North Carolina · Marketing

Best colleges for Marketing in North Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

Elon University, North Carolina A & T State University and East Carolina University are the top bachelor's Marketing programs in North Carolina by graduate earnings. Elon University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $55,893, College Scorecard. East Carolina University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Appalachian State University award the most Marketing degrees in North Carolina: 270, 246 and 211 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 22 North Carolina colleges offer Marketing and award 1,385 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…

Institutions
22
offering CIP 52.14
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,385
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$45,870
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
12
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,108
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
61%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Marketing Managers
$173,660
BLS OEWS May 2025

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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Elon University
Elon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$55,8939684%$33,688$21,500
2North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro Public · Bachelor's degree
$48,0426957%—$27,375
3East Carolina University
Greenville Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,87027063%—$24,992
4University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree
$43,61924669%—$21,500
5Appalachian State University
Boone Public · Bachelor's degree
$42,99921175%—$19,500
6Wingate University
Wingate Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$36,7772446%$21,585$23,100
7Western Carolina University
Cullowhee Public · Bachelor's degree
$33,19712660%—$23,508
8Meredith College
Raleigh Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$45,8831470%$19,552$27,000
9North Carolina Wesleyan University
Rocky Mount Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$45,880842%$18,905$26,354
10Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte
Charlotte Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$41,544249%$29,446$26,675

Top certificate or associate program

Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public · Graduate degree
$117,5573285%—$19,500

Colleges awarding the most Marketing degrees in North Carolina

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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1East Carolina University
Greenville Public
270$45,870
2University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public
246$43,619
3Appalachian State University
Boone Public
211$42,999
4Western Carolina University
Cullowhee Public
126$33,197
5Elon University
Elon Private not-for-profit
96$55,893
6University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro Public
90Not reported
7High Point University
High Point Private not-for-profit
70Not reported
8North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro Public
69$48,042
9Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem Private not-for-profit
50Not reported
10Wingate University
Wingate Private not-for-profit
24$36,777
Show the other 12 North Carolina colleges offering Marketing
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleighPublic32
Campbell UniversityBuies CreekPrivate not-for-profit17
Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityHickoryPrivate not-for-profit15
Meredith CollegeRaleighPrivate not-for-profit14
Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmontPrivate not-for-profit10
Gardner-Webb UniversityBoiling SpringsPrivate not-for-profit10
University of Mount OliveMount OlivePrivate not-for-profit9
North Carolina Wesleyan UniversityRocky MountPrivate not-for-profit8
Queens University of CharlotteCharlottePrivate not-for-profit8
Methodist UniversityFayettevillePrivate not-for-profit7
Johnson & Wales University - CharlotteCharlottePrivate not-for-profit2
William Peace UniversityRaleighPrivate not-for-profit1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Marketing Managers (SOC 11-2021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+6.6%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~34,300
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$161,030
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingActive LearningMonitoring

What Marketing Managers earn in North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
10,790
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$173,660
median $165,480
Best-paying metro
$192,140
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Related careers

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$89,430 avg · 30,700 jobs
Sales Managers
$168,100 avg · 16,920 jobs
Marketing Managers
$173,660 avg · 10,790 jobs
Fundraisers
$72,490 avg · 3,700 jobs
Web and Digital Interface Designers
$104,010 avg · 3,400 jobs
Business Teachers, Postsecondary
$100,340 avg · 2,960 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Marketing programs in North Carolina.

Which North Carolina colleges award the most Marketing degrees?+

East Carolina University (270 graduates a year), University of North Carolina at Charlotte (246 graduates a year) and Appalachian State University (211 graduates a year) award the most Marketing degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 22 North Carolina colleges offer Marketing.

What is the best college for Marketing in North Carolina?+

By graduate earnings, Elon University leads among bachelor's Marketing programs in North Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $55,893, College Scorecard. North Carolina A & T State University and East Carolina University follow. By degrees awarded, East Carolina University is the largest, with 270 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Marketing program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Elon University tops the list at $55,893. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Marketing Managers earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Marketing Managers in North Carolina is $173,660 (median $165,480), across about 10,790 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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