The Best Colleges for Marketing in Michigan of 2023-2024

Studying marketing in college has grown into a very popular field of study prospective and current college students. Find out the best college for marketing in Michigan.

The Best Colleges for Marketing in Michigan of 2023-2024
Arie Oldman

Pursuing a degree in marketing is a very popular academic field of study for many prospective and current college students. In the professional world, marketing positions are very much in-demand, whether it’s traditional marketing or social media marketing. In the United States, there are hundreds upon hundreds of schools for marketing. Here, however, we wanted to focus on the best colleges for marketing in Michigan, a state which ranks among the states with the most colleges in the US.

For our study here, BrokeScholar is focusing on identifying the best colleges for marketing in Michigan, based on analysis of 89 colleges, both public institutions and private, not-for-profit institutions, but excluding for-profit institutions. Sourcing data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), we constructed a list of the best colleges for marketing in Michigan for the academic year 2023-2024. The best marketing colleges are listed in alphabetical order. (See the methodology section for details).

Read on to find out the best colleges for marketing degrees in Michigan.

Best Colleges for Marketing in Michigan 

We analyzed all the public and private, not-for-profit colleges in Michigan in terms of a variety of factors. These included the type and number of degrees awarded per academic year Marketing/Marketing Management, General; Marketing, Other; and Marketing Research (terminology provided by the NCES); graduation rates; and the estimated annual cost of tuition and required fees. Another key factor was the proportion of degrees in marketing compared to the student population, so that smaller schools could rank as well.

When it comes to the best marketing colleges in Michigan, the level of degrees awarded in marketing range from undergraduate certificates, all the way up to doctoral degrees. In general, however, the main level of degree awarded for studies in marketing is a bachelor’s degree.

So, let’s take a deeper dive into the best marketing schools in Michigan:

Adrian College

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 53%

Tuition and required fees: $39,596

Located in Adrian, Michigan, Adrian College is a small private, not-for-profit college with a total student population of roughly 1,871, including some 1,805 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 53% is better than the average graduation rate for all 89 Michigan colleges analyzed in the study. Plus, with an admission rate of 76%, Adrian College is more selective than the majority of the best colleges for marketing in Michigan. Adrian College features a high proportion of marketing degrees compared to undergraduate students, at 1.87%. This was a big factor in making Adrian College rank among the best colleges for marketing in Michigan. Some of its main marketing programs include its Bachelor’s in Marketing as well as its Digital Marketing Certificate.

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Adrian College in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 35 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Calvin University

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 77%

Tuition and required fees: $38,370

One of a handful of colleges located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Calvin University is a private, not-for-profit school with a total student population of over 3,200, including roughly 3,068 undergraduates. Calvin University’s graduation rate of 77% is one of the highest of colleges in Michigan and also among the highest for the best colleges for marketing in the state. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 75%, Calvin University is one of the hardest colleges to get into in Michigan for marketing. 

Calvin University has several academic programs in the field of marketing:

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Calvin University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 38 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Central Michigan University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 62%

Tuition and required fees: $11,376

Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Central Michigan University is one of Michigan’s bigger colleges, with a total student population of just under 15,500, including more than 11,400 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 62% is better than most graduation rates of colleges in Michigan and among the highest rates of the best colleges for marketing in Michigan. Its admission rate of 77% also makes it noticeable more selective than most other major public schools in Michigan. Another cool aspect of Central Michigan is that, though a public institution, it does not charge different rates of tuition based on the residence of students. Both in-state and out-of-state students pay a tuition of $11,376 per academic year.

Central Michigan University awards degrees in marketing up to the bachelor's degree level. Below are the main marketing programs:

And the above list doesn’t include the programs like Central Michigan’s M.B.A. program, which typically includes studies in marketing. According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Central Michigan University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 125 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Davenport University

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 48%

Tuition and required fees: $26,550

Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Davenport University is a private college that’s pretty large compared to other private, not-for-profit schools. It has a total student population of nearly 5,400, including more than 4,300 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 48% is just around the average graduation rates of colleges in Michigan. For a private college, Davenport University has a comparatively affordable cost of tuition at $26,550 per academic year. 

Davenport University provides several marketing programs for students to choose from, including different levels of degrees:

Davenport University awards a high proportion of marketing degrees, 0.98%, compared to its undergraduate population. This factor, among others, helped propel Davenport University to rank among the best colleges for marketing in Michigan. According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Davenport University in the last academic year include:

  • Postgraduate certificates: 7 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.
  • Bachelor’s degrees: 50 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.
  • Master’s degrees: 3 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Eastern Michigan University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 48%

Tuition and required fees: $14,400

Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Eastern Michigan University is a sizable state college with a total student population of over 15,000, including more than 12,700 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 48% is right around the average graduation rates of colleges in Michigan. Its admission rate of 85% makes it less selective than many private not-for-profit colleges, but more selective than many other major public schools in Michigan. Easter Michigan University is also fairly unique in that it’s a public, state college that doesn’t charge different rates of tuition for in-state resident students versus out-of-state resident students. And both costs of attendance are comparatively affordable.

Eastern Michigan University has a whole slew of marketing programs that students can choose to pursue:

And the above list doesn’t include the minor programs that can be studied in marketing. According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University in the last academic year include:

  • Postgraduate certificates: 1 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 93 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 4 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Ferris State University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 48%

Tuition and required fees: $14,140

Ferris State University is a public college located in Big Rapids, Michigan, with an undergraduate population of a little over 9,200. Interestingly, like Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University is a public college that charges the same rate of tuition and required fees for both in-state students and out-of-state students. Although the school doesn’t award degrees in marketing above the level of a bachelor’s degree, it still offers tons of degrees, from undergraduate certificates through bachelor’s, in marketing. The many programs it has on offer helps make Ferris State University one of the best colleges for marketing in Michigan:

With all these different programs and levels of degrees you can earn in marketing, Ferris State easily makes our list of the best colleges for marketing. Additionally, according to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded in the last academic year include:

  • Undergraduate certificates: 2 awarded in Marketing Research; and 2 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

  • Associate degrees: 19 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 46 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Grand Valley State University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 67%

Tuition and required fees: $14,652 for in-state | $20,540 for out-of-state

At home in Allendale, Michigan, Grand Valley State University is a huge state college with a total student population of over 22,000, including more than 19,000 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 67% is one of the highest graduation rates of colleges in the state and also among the highest for the best colleges for marketing in Michigan. Despite its massive size, Grand Valley State University has one of the highest proportions of marketing degrees compared to its undergraduate population, at 1.01%. That ratio of marketing degrees is higher than most smaller, private not-for-profit colleges, which is even more impressive.

Grand Valley State University has several academic programs in the field of marketing:

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Grand Valley State in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 226 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Hillsdale College

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 88%

Tuition and required fees: $30,902

Hillsdale College is a private conservative, Christian liberal arts college in southern central Michigan, originally founded in 1844 by abolitionists known as Free Will Baptists. Although located in a fairly remote spot of Michigan, Hillsdale College is well-known among conservative political circles, with its educational curriculum emphasizing study of Western heritage as a combination of classical Greco-Roman culture and Christian tradition. Politicas aside, there’s no arguing with the fact that Hillsdale College has one of the highest graduation rates in Michigan and among the best colleges for marketing in the state, at 88%. Hillsdale College is also very competitive to get into, having an undergraduate acceptance rate of only 24%. Hillsdale College’s main academic program in the field of marketing includes its Bachelor of Arts in Marketing.

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Hillsdale College in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 12 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Michigan State University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 82%

Tuition and required fees: $15,436 for in-state | $42,022 for out-of-state

At home in East Lansing, Michigan, Michigan State University is a huge state college with a total student population of over 49,000, including more than 38,500 undergraduates. Its graduation rate of 82% is one of the highest of colleges in the state and also among the highest for the best computer science colleges. What’s great about large, public institutions are the resources at their disposal and Michigan State knows how to deploy them. Michigan State University is composed of 17 colleges covering different fields of study. For students wanting to major in marketing, the Broad College of Business is where it’s at. With Michigan State University awarding 207 bachelor’s degrees in Marketing/Marketing Management, General, the ratio of marketing degrees to undergraduates is 0.54%, which might seem small, but is very solid for a college of Michigan State’s size.

Michigan State University has several academic programs in the field of marketing:

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Michigan State in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 207 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 67 awarded in Marketing Research.

  • Doctoral degrees: 1 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Northwood University

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: 62%

Tuition and required fees: $31,600

Northwood University is located in Midland, Michigan, and has an undergraduate population of over 2,100 students. With Northwood University awarding 79 bachelor’s degrees in Marketing/Marketing Management, General, the proportion of marketing degrees to undergraduates is a strikingly high 3.73%. This is a major reason why Northwood University ranked highly among the best colleges for marketing in Michigan. 

Northwood University has several academic programs in the field of marketing:

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Northwood include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 79 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General, and 3 awarded Marketing, Other.

Oakland University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 56%

Tuition and required fees: $13,934 for in-state | $24,708 for out-of-state

Oakland University is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and has an undergraduate population of over 13,700 students. With Oakland University awarding 99 bachelor’s degrees in Marketing/Marketing Management, General, the proportion of marketing degrees to undergraduates is a comparatively high 0.58% considering this school is a large public institution. Through its School of Business Administration, undergraduates can pursue a bachelor’s degree in marketing, specifically a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Oakland University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 99 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Walsh College

Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit

Graduation rate: N/A

Tuition and required fees: $20,310

Located in Troy, Michigan, Walsh College ranks as one of the best marketing schools in Michigan. Walsh College has one of the highest proportions of marketing degrees awarded per year versus student population. With a combined 37 marketing degrees awarded on the bachelor’s and master’s level, and a total student population of nearly 1,500, that works out to 2.48%. 

Walsh College has 7 different academic departments and one of them is the Department of Marketing. The marketing programs you can pursue at Walsh College include:

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Walsh College include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 23 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

  • Master’s degrees: 14 awarded Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Wayne State University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 56%

Tuition and required fees: $14,464 for in-state | $30,914 for out-of-state

Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit and has a large student population. With more than 16,800 undergraduate students and nearly 25,000 total students, Wayne State University is one of the biggest colleges in Michigan, behind only the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Grand Valley State University. Although a large state school, Wayne State University is much more competitive with its admissions compared to, for example, Michigan State. Where Wayne State’s undergraduate acceptance rate is 63%, Michigan State’s acceptance rate is 83% — a full 20 percentage points higher.

Wayne State University is also one of the best colleges for marketing in Michigan. Wayne State only offers degrees in marketing on the bachelor’s level, but this is much more than most Michigan colleges have to offer. Out of its huge undergraduate population, the ratio of bachelor’s degree in marketing to the undergraduate population was 0.68%, which is comparatively high for such a large public college. At Wayne State University, you can earn the following degrees in marketing through the Mike Ilitch School of Business:

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Wayne State University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 170 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General.

Western Michigan University

Type: 4-year, public institution

Graduation rate: 56%

Tuition and required fees: $15,196 for in-state | $18,995 for out-of-state

Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Western Michigan University ranks as one of the best marketing schools in Michigan. Western Michigan University has high proportions of marketing degrees awarded per year versus student population, especially when considering it’s a large state school with more than 14,500 undergraduate students. With a combined 216 marketing degrees awarded on the bachelor’s level, and an undergraduate student population of over 14,500, that works out to 0.54%. 

The marketing programs you can pursue at Western Michigan University include:

According to NCES data, the main marketing degrees awarded by Western Michigan University in the last academic year include:

  • Bachelor’s degrees: 98 awarded in Marketing/Marketing Management, General, and 118 awarded in Marketing, Other.

The Bottom Line on the Best Colleges for Marketing in Michigan

If you’re looking to attend a college in Michigan and hope to study marketing, you have plenty of great options. The best colleges for marketing in Michigan include both big, public colleges as well as smaller private, not-for-profit schools. The college that awarded the most bachelor’s degrees in marketing was Grand Valley State University, with 226 conferred in the last academic year alone. However, the school with the highest proportion of bachelor’s degrees in marketing compared to its undergraduate population is Northwood University, at 3.73%. 

The good news for prospective and current students is that BrokeScholar has a whole library of college scholarships for marketing majors. Winning one of these scholarships can seriously help reduce the cost of attending college, whether it’s on the undergraduate or graduate level.

Methodology

In order to identify the best colleges for marketing in Michigan, we analyzed 89 colleges and universities that fit the following criteria:

  • Are private, not-for-profit institutions or public institutions

  • Offer a degree in Marketing/Marketing Management, General; Marketing, Other; and/or Marketing Research, on any degree level ranging from undergraduate certificates to doctoral degrees

These 89 colleges and universities were sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), as was data on their respective undergraduate populations; undergraduate graduation rates; approximate costs of tuition and required fees; the type and number of degrees awarded per academic year in marketing; and the proportion of these degrees to the undergraduate population.

Andrew DePietro

Author: Andrew DePietro

Senior Researcher, and Content Strategist

Andrew DePietro is a finance writer covering topics such as entrepreneurship, investing, real estate and college for BrokeScholar, Forbes, CreditKarma, and more.