by our College Data Analytics Team
[Marketing](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/marketing/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The schools below stand out for the salaries their marketing graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find where marketing graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send marketing graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
James Madison University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid marketing graduates in Virginia. Set in the city of Harrisonburg, James Madison University is a public institution. After graduating, marketing degree recipients from James Madison University typically earn about $85,936 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earned it the #2 place for marketing. Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a public institution. Marketing graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of about $82,451 a year early in their careers.
George Mason University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in marketing, landing the #3 spot this year. George Mason University is a public school located in the suburb of Fairfax. Students who complete the marketing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $76,137.
Strong graduate earnings at Virginia Commonwealth University earned it the #4 place for marketing. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution. Students who complete the marketing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $61,633.
Students chasing top earnings in marketing will find them at Old Dominion University, which ranked #5. Old Dominion University is a public school located in the city of Norfolk. Early-career marketing graduates from Old Dominion University make a median of around $58,083 per year.
Radford University placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for marketing. Radford University is a public school located in the town of Radford. After graduating, marketing degree recipients from Radford University typically earn about $66,071 annually.
Liberty University earned the #7 position for marketing graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, marketing degree recipients from Liberty University typically earn about $57,857 annually.
Hampton University placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for marketing. Set in the suburb of Hampton, Hampton University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the marketing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $32,511.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries marketing graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 8 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.