ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES

Is a associate's degree in Marketing worth it?

Compare cost, debt and earnings across 34 college programs with reportable data.

Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff

−$111,613 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.

190.2 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−95%Estimated return after 10 years
$45,620Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision

What do you need to compare?

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$45,620 observed annual earnings · 2 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is the average college-wide net-price context across reporting institutions. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Outcomes at a glance

$45,620Typical earnings four years after completion
$45,435Average earnings five years after completion
$19,149Typical federal student debt
43thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
32College programs reporting earnings

Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.

A PRACTICAL READ

Four useful answers about Marketing

How much do Marketing associate's degree graduates earn?

The national median is $45,620 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.

How much federal debt do graduates have?

The median reported federal debt is $19,149. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.

Does the college matter for Marketing?

Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $39,172 to $51,824 in observed year-4 earnings.

What careers are related to Marketing?

DegreeVerdict links this field to 9 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.

COMPARE DEGREE LEVELS

More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.

Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings
$69,299
Federal debt
$22,060
Programs in the comparison
11
10 report earnings →
CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$45,620
Federal debt
$19,149
Programs in the comparison
34
32 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$66,477
Federal debt
$24,382
Programs in the comparison
551
533 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$131,018
Federal debt
$19,500
Programs in the comparison
1
1 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$78,491
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
42
42 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$89,219
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
3
3 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings
$96,856
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
1
1 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$39,172National median$45,62075th percentile$51,824
32 programs report year‑4 earnings.
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Compare price, debt and earnings together

$51,82475th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs
$19,149Median federal debt across programs that report it
1Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION

Three useful places to start

Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.

Highest observed earnings

Southern New Hampshire University

$61,532 four years after completionManchester, NH · inspect the full program →
Lowest reported federal debt

Nassau Community College

$10,953 among completer borrowersGarden City, NY · inspect the full program →
Largest recent graduating class

Lake Area Technical College

62 reported awards in 2024–25Watertown, SD · inspect the full program →
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP

Where colleges sit for this exact degree

Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.

$54,972Observed year-4 earnings$34,725
$3,910Annual college-wide average net price$23,980
All reporting colleges Lower-price, higher-earnings quadrantAxes trim the outer 5% for readability; outliers remain pinned to the chart edge. Price is institution-wide context, not exact program tuition.
Build your shortlist

Choose colleges offering this exact degree

Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.

30 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 25 shown
Search every reporting program →
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Southern New Hampshire University$61,5322Schoolcraft Community College District$55,5983Green River College$54,9724Columbus State Community College$53,7235Rasmussen University-Florida$51,8246Rasmussen University-Minnesota$51,8247Rasmussen University-North Dakota$51,8248Rasmussen University-Illinois$51,8249Rasmussen University-Wisconsin$51,82410Rasmussen University-Kansas$51,824

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

Career outlook

Jobs this degree may lead to

Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.

Pay and projected demand

Related careers do not share one outlook

Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection

Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.

Marketing Managers$166,790 median wage395,240 jobs nationwide+6.9% projected growth through 2035 · 34,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$90,260–$293,610 typical wage rangeBusiness Teachers, Postsecondary$99,080 median wage82,150 jobs nationwide+5.9% projected growth through 2035 · 7,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$47,180–$209,470 typical wage rangeMarket Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$78,760 median wage899,580 jobs nationwide+7.0% projected growth through 2035 · 82,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$43,390–$155,480 typical wage rangeSales Managers$148,270 median wage637,080 jobs nationwide+4.5% projected growth through 2035 · 47,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$73,170–$290,540 typical wage rangeAdvertising and Promotions Managers$133,660 median wage21,470 jobs nationwide-3.7% projected growth through 2035 · 2,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$63,300–$286,240 typical wage rangeFundraising Managers$125,470 median wage38,810 jobs nationwide+5.4% projected growth through 2035 · 3,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$75,130–$222,350 typical wage rangeWeb and Digital Interface Designers$104,000 median wage113,330 jobs nationwide+6.0% projected growth through 2035 · 8,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$53,750–$201,550 typical wage rangeFundraisers$72,550 median wage111,040 jobs nationwide+5.5% projected growth through 2035 · 10,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$46,630–$115,820 typical wage rangeSurvey Researchers$69,460 median wage8,290 jobs nationwide-4.8% projected growth through 2035 · 600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$39,260–$130,860 typical wage range

BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.