by our College Data Analytics Team
[Sales Merchandising Marketing Ops](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/sales-merchandising-marketing-ops/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a sales merchandising marketing ops degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying sales merchandising marketing ops schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send sales merchandising marketing ops graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Purdue University Main Campus the top school for sales merchandising marketing ops graduate earnings in the Great Lakes Region. Purdue University Main Campus is a public school located in the city of West Lafayette. Students who complete the sales merchandising marketing ops program here go on to a median salary of roughly $92,129.
Strong graduate earnings at Kent State University At Kent earned it the #2 place for sales merchandising marketing ops. Located in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a public institution. Sales Merchandising Marketing Ops graduates of Kent State University At Kent earn a median of about $57,169 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in sales merchandising marketing ops will find them at Ball State University, which ranked #3. Ball State University is a public school located in the city of Muncie. After graduating, sales merchandising marketing ops degree recipients from Ball State University typically earn about $65,184 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Wisconsin Madison earned it the #4 place for sales merchandising marketing ops. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a public school located in the city of Madison. Sales Merchandising Marketing Ops graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of about $73,814 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in sales merchandising marketing ops will find them at Owens Community College, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Perrysburg, Owens Community College is a public institution. After graduating, sales merchandising marketing ops degree recipients from Owens Community College typically earn about $39,330 annually.
University Of Akron Main Campus landed the #6 spot for sales merchandising marketing ops salaries this year. Set in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a public institution. Early-career sales merchandising marketing ops graduates from University Of Akron Main Campus make a median of around $75,758 per year.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus earned the #7 position for sales merchandising marketing ops graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the sales merchandising marketing ops program here go on to a median salary of roughly $58,773.
University Of Wisconsin Stout came in at #8 for sales merchandising marketing ops graduate earnings this year. University Of Wisconsin Stout is a public school located in the town of Menomonie. Students who complete the sales merchandising marketing ops program here go on to a median salary of roughly $58,911.
Michigan Career And Technical Institute earned the #9 position for sales merchandising marketing ops graduate earnings this year. Located in the rural area of Plainwell, Michigan Career And Technical Institute is a public institution. Early-career sales merchandising marketing ops graduates from Michigan Career And Technical Institute make a median of around $15,674 per year.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries sales merchandising marketing ops 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 · 9 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.