The Best Marketing Programs in Texas for 2026
The best marketing programs in Texas span an enormous range once you look past the brand names. We analyzed 11 marketing programs at four-year Texas schools, and in-state tuition among them runs from $8,319 a year at the University of North Texas up to $61,650 a year at Texas Christian University, a gap of more than $53,000 for what is nominally the same degree. That spread is the first thing to understand before you pick a school: there is no single "typical" price tag here, and a public option in Denton can cost a fraction of a semester at a private school in Fort Worth.
Graduation rates tell a similar story of range rather than average. Across the 11 ranked programs, graduation rates average 76%, but individual schools range from 89% at the University of Texas at Austin down to 59% at LeTourneau University. We built this ranking from IPEDS and BLS data rather than surveys or paid placements, weighing cost, selectivity, graduation outcomes, and career context together.
What follows breaks down what marketing programs actually cost in Texas, how they're accredited, which award levels make sense for most students, and where online marketing programs and accelerated paths fit into the picture.
Key Takeaways on the Best Marketing Bachelor's Programs in Texas
- 11 marketing programs in Texas made this ranking, with in-state tuition ranging from $8,319 at the University of North Texas to $61,650 at Texas Christian University.
- The University of Texas at Austin tops the ranking with a Hakia Score of 97.8 and an 89% graduation rate, the highest of any ranked marketing program in Texas.
- Average graduation rate across the ranked marketing programs is 76%, with a low of 59% at LeTourneau University.
- Three public marketing programs, Texas Tech ($8,935), University of Houston ($8,685), and the University of North Texas ($8,319), all charge in-state tuition under $9,000.
- The national median salary for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is $125,470 a year, the same BLS benchmark regardless of which Texas school you attend.
- Private tuition tops out at $61,650 at TCU versus $9,092 at Texas A&M, a public bachelor of marketing that costs 85% less.
The Hakia Score behind this ranking of the best marketing programs in Texas blends four inputs: graduation rate, admission selectivity, in-state tuition cost, and career outcomes context, pulled from the U.S. Dept. of Education's IPEDS database and paired with national BLS wage data. No school paid for placement in these rankings and no reputation survey factors in; every figure is a per-school number filed with the federal government, not a marketing claim.
The 11 Best Marketing Bachelor's Programs in Texas, Ranked for 2026
| # | Program | Type | In-state tuition | Grad rate | Admit rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX | Public | $11,688 | 89% | 27% | 97.8 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, TX · online option | Public | $9,092 | 84% | 57% | 94.0 |
| 3 | Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX | Nonprofit | $61,650 | 86% | 44% | 93.2 |
| 4 | Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX | Nonprofit | $59,500 | 84% | 63% | 92.1 |
| 5 | Baylor UniversityWaco, TX · online option | Nonprofit | $58,100 | 80% | 51% | 91.9 |
| 6 | Trinity UniversitySan Antonio, TX | Nonprofit | $53,352 | 84% | 26% | 91.9 |
| 7 | The University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX | Public | $10,639 | 76% | 65% | 91.0 |
| 8 | Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX | Public | $8,935 | 69% | 73% | 86.2 |
| 9 | University of HoustonHouston, TX | Public | $8,685 | 65% | 74% | 84.8 |
| 10 | LeTourneau UniversityLongview, TX | Nonprofit | $36,340 | 59% | 38% | 80.9 |
| 11 | University of North TexasDenton, TX | Public | $8,319 | 61% | 72% | 80.4 |
The Top Marketing Bachelor's Programs in Texas at a Glance
Each program scores 0 to 100 on the Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. Longer bars rank higher.
Inside the Top Marketing Bachelor's Programs in Texas
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · Public
- Grad rate
- 89%
- Admit rate
- 27%
- In-state
- $11,688
- Out-of-state
- $44,908
UT Austin pairs a 27% admit rate, the second-tightest in Texas behind only Trinity's 26%, with an 89% graduation rate and the state's top Hakia Score of 97.8.
- 97.8 Hakia Score, No. 1 in Texas
- 89% graduation rate
- $11,688 in-state tuition
- 27% admit rate
The University of Texas at Austin's marketing major sits inside the McCombs BBA and builds around two required courses, Marketing 360 and Marketing 370, plus twelve semester hours of upper-division marketing electives, or International Business 350 as a substitute. Students can apply Marketing 366P, a practicum course, toward either a marketing elective or the BBA's experiential learning requirement, but not both. The major also carries real prerequisites before a student can enroll in Marketing 370: 90 completed semester hours, credit or registration in an approved experiential learning course, and three more elective hours in marketing.
This is the No. 1 marketing program in Texas by Hakia Score, at 97.8, and the underlying numbers back the ranking. UT Austin graduates 89% of its students and admits just 27% of applicants, the second-tightest admission rate among the 11 programs profiled here, behind only Trinity's 26%. In-state tuition runs $11,688 a year; out-of-state students pay $44,908. For Texas residents, that combination, a highly selective public flagship with an 89% graduation rate for under $12,000 a year, is hard to match anywhere else on this list.
Texas A&M University-College Station
College Station, TX · Public · online option
- Grad rate
- 84%
- Admit rate
- 57%
- In-state
- $9,092
- Out-of-state
- $36,169
Texas A&M delivers a 94 Hakia Score and five distinct marketing tracks for $9,092 a year in-state, one of four public programs here charging less than $10,000 a year.
- 94 Hakia Score
- $9,092 in-state tuition, one of four public programs under $10,000
- 84% graduation rate
- Five BBA marketing tracks
Texas A&M's BBA in Marketing runs through the Mays Business School as a 120 credit hour, in-person degree built around five tracks: Advertising Strategy, Analytics and Consulting, Healthcare Marketing, Professional Selling, and a fifth specialization students choose after finishing lower-division coursework. Mays also layers on Professional Distinctions in advertising, analytics and consulting, healthcare, retailing, and sales, semester-by-semester recognitions that stack on top of the standard degree requirements. The program cites a U.S. News & World Report ranking of No. 10 for marketing among public institutions.
Texas A&M earns a 94 Hakia Score, the second highest in Texas, with an 84% graduation rate and a 57% admit rate, considerably more accessible than UT Austin's 27%. Tuition is among the lowest in Texas: $9,092 in-state and $36,169 out-of-state, one of four public programs here charging less than $10,000 a year in-state, behind only UNT, Houston, and Texas Tech. For a student who wants five concrete track options and a lower price tag without sacrificing graduation outcomes, Mays is the value play among Texas's top marketing programs.
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 86%
- Admit rate
- 44%
- In-state
- $61,650
- Out-of-state
- $61,650
TCU backs its $61,650 flat tuition with an 86% graduation rate and three cord-earning focus areas: digital marketing, consultative selling, and brand management.
- 93.2 Hakia Score
- 86% graduation rate
- $61,650 flat tuition, no residency discount
- Three focus-area cords: digital marketing, consultative selling, brand management
TCU's marketing major runs through the Neeley School of Business and organizes around three applied focus areas: Digital Marketing, Consultative Selling, and Brand Management. Completing the designated coursework in one of these earns a cord at graduation, though picking a focus area isn't required. The program also runs the TCU Sales Center for hands-on selling practice and recently moved to direct admission for the Neeley School, meaning applicants are evaluated for the business program at the point of university admission rather than after enrolling.
TCU's Hakia Score of 93.2 reflects an 86% graduation rate and a 44% admit rate, tighter than Texas A&M's but more open than UT Austin's. As a private school, TCU charges one flat rate regardless of residency: $61,650 a year, roughly five times UT Austin's in-state tuition of $11,688. Enrollment is also far smaller at 12,938 total students, versus UT Austin's 53,864, pointing to a tighter, more personal undergraduate experience for students willing to pay the premium.
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 84%
- Admit rate
- 63%
- In-state
- $59,500
- Out-of-state
- $59,500
SMU's marketing concentration admits 63% of applicants, the most accessible of Texas's five private programs, while still running two dedicated research centers on customer loyalty and retail behavior.
- 92.1 Hakia Score
- 63% admit rate, most accessible of the five private programs here
- 84% graduation rate
- Brierley Institute and JCPenney Center research centers
SMU's marketing offering at the Cox School of Business centers on a BBA with a Marketing Concentration, tied to two research centers: the Brierley Institute for Customer Engagement, which studies what drives customer loyalty, and the JCPenney Center for Retail Excellence, which examines how retailers' actions shape consumer behavior. Cox also offers marketing-adjacent graduate paths for students who continue past the bachelor's, including an MBA with a marketing concentration or minor, an MS in Business Analytics, and an MS in AI for Business.
SMU posts a 92.1 Hakia Score, an 84% graduation rate that matches Texas A&M, and a 63% admit rate, the most accessible of the five private programs here. Tuition is a flat $59,500 regardless of residency, close to TCU's rate and roughly $47,800 more per year than UT Austin's in-state price. With 12,116 students enrolled, SMU sits between TCU's smaller campus and the two large public flagships, and its higher admit rate makes it a realistic option for students who didn't get into the more selective UT Austin or TCU.
Baylor University
Waco, TX · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 80%
- Admit rate
- 51%
- In-state
- $58,100
- Out-of-state
- $58,100
Baylor backs its marketing major with three specialized tracks, including a dedicated sports sales center, and graduates 80% of its students at a Hakia Score of 91.9.
- 80% graduation rate
- 51% admit rate
- $58,100 flat tuition (in state or out)
- Three tracks: Marketing, Professional Selling, Sports Strategy and Sales
Baylor's marketing major runs through the Hankamer School of Business and splits into three tracks: a general Marketing Major, a Professional Selling Major, and a Sports Strategy and Sales track built around the school's Center for Sports Strategy and Sales (S3). Sales-focused students can also plug into the Center for Professional Selling, which the school positions as one of the premier sales-education resources in the country, and marketing students with a real estate bent have access to the Keller Center for Research.
Baylor ties Trinity for the fifth-highest Hakia Score among the 11 programs here at 91.9, built on an 80% graduation rate and a 51% admit rate, roughly the midpoint of selectivity among the 11 programs here. As a private university, Baylor charges one flat rate regardless of residency: $58,100 a year, well above the in-state prices at Texas Tech and UT Dallas. That makes Baylor a fit for students who want a named sales or sports-business specialization and can absorb private-school tuition rather than chase the lowest sticker price.
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 84%
- Admit rate
- 26%
- In-state
- $53,352
- Out-of-state
- $53,352
Trinity admits just 26% of marketing applicants, the tightest of any Texas program in this set, and still graduates 84% of them.
- 84% graduation rate, tied for third-highest here
- 26% admit rate, the most selective program here
- AACSB accreditation (about 7% of business schools worldwide, per Trinity)
- $53,352 flat tuition
Trinity's marketing major sits in the Neidorff School of Business and is built as an AACSB-accredited, interdisciplinary program that blends the school's liberal-arts Pathways Curriculum with project-based work for real clients, including the San Antonio Rodeo. Coursework moves from Marketing Research through Integrated Marketing Communications to a capstone-style Marketing Consultancy class where students solve problems for actual San Antonio businesses. Trinity's page notes AACSB accredits only about 7% of business schools worldwide, and that the Neidorff School was named a 2025 Undergraduate Business School to Watch by Poets&Quants.
Trinity ties Baylor for the fifth-highest Hakia Score among the 11 programs here at 91.9, but gets there on different numbers: an 84% graduation rate, tied with Texas A&M and SMU for third-highest among the 11 programs here, against a 26% admit rate, the tightest of any program in this ranking (Baylor admits 51%, UT Dallas 65%, Texas Tech 73%). Tuition runs $53,352 a year flat, and the program is on campus only, with no online option. At just 2,687 total students, Trinity fits someone who wants a small, selective, liberal-arts-anchored marketing degree with direct access to local business partners, not the scale or online flexibility of a large public university.
The University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, TX · Public
- Grad rate
- 76%
- Admit rate
- 65%
- In-state
- $10,639
- Out-of-state
- $36,139
UT Dallas charges Texas residents $10,639 a year for a marketing degree ranked No. 16 among public programs by US News, a $25,500 discount off out-of-state tuition.
- $10,639 in-state tuition, $25,500 below out-of-state
- No. 16 among public marketing programs, US News 2026 (per school)
- 76% graduation rate
- 65% admit rate
UT Dallas's BS in Marketing runs through the Naveen Jindal School of Management and points graduates toward advertising, brand management, digital marketing, sales, social media, and public relations roles. The degree plan centers on UTDsolv, a capstone where students solve problems for local companies, and requires 100 hours of community service through UTDserv, alongside a pipeline of internships. The program page states the marketing faculty have built more than 25 AI applications into coursework, from targeting messages to scoring sales-call performance, and cites a U.S. News & World Report (2026) ranking of No. 16 among public university marketing programs and No. 36 overall.
UT Dallas posts a Hakia Score of 91, a 76% graduation rate, and a 65% admit rate, more open than all but three of the 11 programs here. The tuition split is the story here: Texas residents pay $10,639 a year, while out-of-state students pay $36,139, a $25,500 gap. At an enrollment near 29,900, UT Dallas fits Texas residents who want a large public program with a US News-ranked marketing track at a fraction of Baylor's or Trinity's private tuition; out-of-state applicants should weigh that $25,500 premium against the program's ranking and scale before enrolling.
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX · Public
- Grad rate
- 69%
- Admit rate
- 73%
- In-state
- $8,935
- Out-of-state
- $21,240
Texas Tech's Rawls College reports a 92.9% job placement rate for marketing grads while charging just $8,935 a year in-state, the third-lowest tuition among the 11 Texas programs here, behind only UNT and Houston.
- $8,935 in-state tuition, third-lowest among the 11 programs here
- 92.9% job placement rate reported by Rawls College, 2024-25 grads
- AACSB accreditation (per school, under 6% of business schools worldwide)
- 73% admit rate, second-most accessible in this set, behind only Houston
Texas Tech's B.B.A. in Marketing runs through the Rawls College of Business as a 120-credit-hour, four-year degree covering consumer behavior, data analytics, and branding and communication strategy. Required courses include MKT 3350, Marketing for a Global Marketplace, which builds in an applied international experience, alongside cross-functional business courses like BA 1301 and management coursework in MGT 3370. The program page states Rawls holds AACSB accreditation, which it says fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide earn, and reports a 92.9% job placement rate for graduates from the 2024-2025 academic year.
Texas Tech carries a Hakia Score of 86.2, the fourth-lowest among the 11 programs here, with a 69% graduation rate and a 73% admit rate, the second-most open among the 11 programs here, behind only Houston's 74%. It is also among the cheapest: $8,935 a year in-state and $21,240 out-of-state, both well under UT Dallas, Baylor, or Trinity, though UNT and Houston charge slightly less in-state. With an enrollment near 40,800, Texas Tech fits a student who wants some of the lowest tuition on this list and a reported 92.9% placement rate, and is willing to accept a lower graduation rate and Hakia Score in exchange for that access and price.
University of Houston
Houston, TX · Public
- Grad rate
- 65%
- Admit rate
- 74%
- In-state
- $8,685
- Out-of-state
- $21,515
Bauer College's Marketing BBA costs $8,685 a year in-state and posts a 65% graduation rate and a Hakia Score of 84.8, with a 74% admit rate that's the most open of any marketing program in this Texas set.
- 65% graduation rate
- $8,685 in-state tuition
- 74% admit rate
- Four tracks: sales, digital marketing, market research, communications
The University of Houston's Bauer College of Business built its Marketing BBA around four interest areas that map directly onto job titles: selling and sales management, digital marketing, market research and analysis, and marketing communications. Coursework covers how to conduct market research, price goods and services, sell, advertise and promote, and build a marketing plan, the core skills behind each of those four tracks.
Bauer earns a Hakia Score of 84.8, third-lowest among the 11 programs here, ahead of only LeTourneau and UNT. In-state students pay $8,685 a year versus $21,515 for out-of-state residents, a $12,830 annual gap that non-Texans should weigh against the school's brand and network. The program admits 74% of applicants, the highest admit rate of any program in this ranking, and graduates 65% of them, numbers consistent with a large public research university (enrollment: 47,980) rather than a boutique business school. A public price tag paired with four named specialization paths makes Bauer a fit for students who want tracked coursework without private-school tuition.
LeTourneau University
Longview, TX · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 59%
- Admit rate
- 38%
- In-state
- $36,340
- Out-of-state
- $36,340
LeTourneau's Marketing BBA is the third-most selective program in this Texas group at a 38% admit rate, behind only Trinity's 26% and UT Austin's 27%, but at $36,340 a year with no in-state discount, it costs more than four times what University of Houston charges Texas residents.
- 38% admit rate, third-most selective among the 11 programs here
- $36,340 tuition, no in-state discount
- 59% graduation rate
- Required internships plus faith-integrated coursework
LeTourneau University's Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing pairs standard coursework, Marketing Research, Buyer Behavior, Promotional Strategy, and New Product Development, with required internships the program's page calls "the ultimate experience to prepare students for their careers." The page also states that Christian faith is integrated into every business course, a feature that sets it apart from the six public programs in this Texas ranking. Graduates target roles the school lists directly: brand manager, marketing coordinator, advertising copywriter, and public relations director.
LeTourneau posts a Hakia Score of 80.9, second-lowest among the 11 programs here, just ahead of UNT's 80.4, but it is also tougher to get into than all but two other programs here, admitting just 38% of applicants versus 74% at Houston and 72% at UNT. That selectivity carries a real cost. Tuition runs $36,340 a year with no in-state break, since LeTourneau is private, more than four times Houston's $8,685 in-state rate and almost exactly double the $18,159 UNT charges out-of-state students. Its 59% graduation rate trails both public options despite the smaller campus (enrollment: 3,330) and tighter admissions bar. This program fits students prioritizing faith-based instruction and a small-school internship pipeline over cost or graduation-rate efficiency.
University of North Texas
Denton, TX · Public
- Grad rate
- 61%
- Admit rate
- 72%
- In-state
- $8,319
- Out-of-state
- $18,159
UNT's G. Brint Ryan College of Business delivers a 120-credit-hour Marketing BBA for $8,319 a year in-state, just $366 less than Houston, with a 61% graduation rate and a Hakia Score of 80.4.
- 61% graduation rate
- $8,319 in-state tuition
- 72% admit rate
- 120-credit-hour BBA with a UNT at Frisco option
The University of North Texas offers its Marketing BBA through the G. Brint Ryan College of Business as a 120-credit-hour, four-year on-campus program, with a second delivery option at UNT at Frisco for students near that campus's industry partners. Coursework spans economics, accounting, finance, marketing, information technology, and management, and the program's page points to a student chapter of the American Marketing Association and faculty research published in the Journal of Marketing and the Journal of Consumer Research as points of distinction.
UNT carries a Hakia Score of 80.4 in this group, just behind Houston's 84.8. In-state tuition is $8,319 a year, only $366 less than Houston's $8,685, but the out-of-state rate of $18,159 runs $3,356 below Houston's $21,515, making UNT the cheaper option for non-Texans. The program admits 72% of applicants, close to Houston's 74%, and graduates 61% of them. With enrollment at 46,864, UNT matches Houston in scale and in-state cost; the deciding factor is likely faculty research fit or the Frisco satellite option rather than price.
What Bachelor's in Marketing Programs Cost in Texas
Cost is where marketing programs in Texas diverge the most. In-state tuition among the 11 ranked programs runs from $8,319 a year at the University of North Texas to $61,650 a year at Texas Christian University, a difference of $53,331 in a single year, before you multiply by four. Three public schools, Texas Tech University ($8,935), University of Houston ($8,685), and the University of North Texas ($8,319), all charge less than $9,000 a year in-state, and none of them sits at the bottom of the list: Texas Tech's Hakia Score of 86.2 ranks ahead of three other programs in this group.
Run the four-year math and the gap widens fast. Four years at the University of North Texas comes to roughly $33,276 in tuition; four years at Texas Christian University comes to roughly $246,600, more than seven times as much. The BLS reports a national median salary of $125,470 a year for marketing managers. The UNT total works out to just over a quarter of a single year at that salary, while the TCU total is close to two full years of it, a debt-to-earnings gap worth working out before you sign a financial aid offer.
The four private nonprofit programs on this list, TCU ($61,650), Southern Methodist University ($59,500), Baylor University ($58,100), and Trinity University ($53,352), all charge above $53,000 in-state tuition. LeTourneau University, also private, is the outlier at $36,340, meaningfully below its private peers though still more than four times the cost of the cheapest public bachelor of marketing option. If cost is your primary filter, the data points toward the state's public schools first and the private tier only if the specific program, scholarship offer, or network is worth the premium.
Do Bachelor's in Marketing Programs Require Licensure or Certification?
Marketing programs do not lead to a professional license. There is no bar exam, no state board, and no equivalent to the CPA or the CFA charter standing between a marketing degree and a job title. That is a real difference from accounting or finance programs, where a license gates entry into certain roles.
The closest thing marketing has to a credentialing body is the American Marketing Association. The AMA offers professional certification for practicing marketers and publishes standards the field treats as a benchmark, though the credential is voluntary and carries far less regulatory weight than a licensure exam. Employers hiring out of these programs generally weigh a portfolio, an internship, and demonstrated skill in analytics or digital marketing tools over any single test score.
That does not mean marketing programs skip rigor. Coursework in the ranked programs still builds toward measurable skills, campaign strategy, consumer research, digital marketing platforms, that employers screen for directly. Skipping a licensure requirement shifts the burden of proof onto your resume rather than a credential, which is worth knowing before you assume a degree alone closes the deal.
The Accreditation That Matters for Bachelor's in Marketing Programs
AACSB accreditation is the standard to look for in marketing programs housed inside a business school. AACSB accredits a small share, historically cited around 6%, of business schools worldwide, and the seal signals that faculty research output, curriculum rigor, and outcomes reporting meet a peer-reviewed bar, not just a school's own description of itself. It shows up on transcripts and matters most if you plan a graduate program later or an employer specifically screens for it.
None of the tuition or graduation figures in this ranking come from AACSB. They come from IPEDS. Accreditation status is worth checking directly on each school's site or through AACSB's own directory before you apply, since it is not something the federal data captures and it changes school by school.
Programs that sit outside an AACSB-accredited business school are not automatically weaker; some strong specialized options run through a separate college of communication or a standalone marketing department. But the AACSB seal remains the fastest way to verify a program meets a recognized standard.
Award Levels: Why This Ranking Focuses on the Bachelor's
This ranking covers Bachelor's-level programs specifically. A bachelor of marketing, or a business administration degree with a marketing concentration, is the standard entry credential for the field, and it's the level where IPEDS reports the most complete cost, admission, and graduation data across all 11 Texas schools we analyzed.
Alternatives exist. An Associate's degree in marketing can work as a transfer step into a four-year bachelor of marketing program, but it rarely stands alone as a terminal credential employers screen for in marketing roles. A Master's in marketing, or an MBA with a marketing concentration, matters more for a mid-career pivot into brand strategy or marketing leadership than for a first job out of school, and none of the schools in this specific ranking were scored at that level.
If you already hold a bachelor's in an unrelated field, a graduate certificate in marketing is often faster and cheaper than a second bachelor's or a full MBA, though certificate cost and length vary enough by school that they are worth checking individually rather than assuming a standard price.
Online Bachelor's in Marketing Programs and Accelerated Paths
A number of schools on this list now offer online or hybrid degree-completion tracks, particularly at the public schools, aimed at working adults or transfer students finishing a bachelor of marketing after starting elsewhere. These formats trade the on-campus experience for flexibility, and they generally charge the same in-state tuition rate as the on-campus track at public schools, though private schools sometimes price online seats differently.
Online options fit best for students who already have some work experience or a clear reason to stay in their current city, since digital marketing coursework, analytics, paid media, campaign platforms, translates reasonably well to a remote format compared to disciplines that depend on in-person labs or clinical hours.
Accelerated tracks that compress a four-year bachelor of marketing into three years, or that stack credit from AP or dual-enrollment coursework, can meaningfully cut the total tuition bill regardless of school. At a program charging $8,319 a year like the University of North Texas, shaving off a full year saves more than $8,000 outright; at a program charging $61,650 a year like TCU, the same one-year cut saves more than $61,000.
What Bachelor's in Marketing Programs Lead To: Salary and Outlook
Every school on this list, regardless of cost or selectivity, feeds into the same national job market. The BLS reports a median salary of $125,470 a year for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers, a figure that applies nationally and does not vary by which of these 11 schools you attend; a graduate of the $8,319-a-year option and a graduate of the $61,650-a-year option compete in the same labor market.
Market research analysts, a common landing spot for marketing degree graduates who lean more analytical, are tracked separately by the BLS with their own wage and outlook data. Whichever track you're aiming for, brand management, market research, digital marketing, agency work, the degree gets you in the door; the portfolio, internships, and specific skills you build along the way do the rest of the work.
This is also where the cost numbers from earlier come back into focus. Since the national salary benchmark does not change based on the school, the ROI math tilts hard toward the lower-cost, accredited options on this list unless a specific private school offers a scholarship, a stronger regional employer network, or a program feature the cheaper options don't.
Marketing Bachelor's Programs in Texas: Your Questions, Answered
How long does it take to finish a bachelor of marketing?
Is an online marketing bachelor's degree respected by employers?
How much do bachelor's in marketing programs cost in Texas?
Is a marketing bachelor's degree worth the cost?
What does AACSB accreditation mean for a marketing program?
Do you need a license or certification to work in marketing?
What can you do with a marketing bachelor's degree besides advertising?
Which of the ranked bachelor's in marketing programs in Texas has the highest graduation rate?
How the Marketing Bachelor's Programs in Texas Are Scored
Every program earns a Hakia Score from 0 to 100, built only from federal data (IPEDS, the U.S. Department of Education, and BLS) and scored against its true peers: programs in the same field at the same degree level. No reputation surveys, no pay-to-play. Here is how the score is weighted:
- Outcomes44%
Graduation rate (26%) and real per-school graduate earnings (18%). Does the program get students to the finish line, and where do they land?
- Selectivity & academics38%
Admissions selectivity (24%) and the academic profile of admitted students (14%).
- Scale & value18%
Enrollment (7%), cost-to-earnings value (6%), and the number of graduates a program produces (5%).
Weights renormalize over the data each program actually reports, so a school missing a metric (many open-access colleges do not publish entrance scores or earnings) is never penalized for it. Scores are percentiles within the peer group, curved to a 0-to-100 scale. What the score does not measure: individual instructor quality, specific course content, or campus culture. Verify those directly with the program.