The Best Master's in Marketing Programs for 2026

NYU SPS's MS in Integrated Marketing is a 42-credit program priced at $2,785 per credit, or $27,562 per term at 10 to 12 credits, with a minimum duration of 18 months and no GRE or GMAT requirement. Students choose online, hybrid, or onsite study, with classes offered mornings, afternoons, and evenings for full-time or part-time schedules. Core courses cover campaign strategy, digital marketing implementation, and data-driven storytelling, then students pick one of three concentrations, Brand Strategy, Digital Media, or Marketing Analytics, before finishing with a capstone business plan. The program also offers optional global field intensives in Paris and Cannes, Shanghai, and Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The program carries a Hakia Score of 95.2, fourth in this group, with an 88% graduation rate and a 9% admit rate, the second-tightest gate here after Wharton's 5%. Tuition is a flat $62,796 with no in-state discount, and university-wide enrollment is 56,832. It fits marketers set on New York City, who want a named concentration, a defined 18-month minimum timeline, and direct access to NYC employers through internships and applied projects, and who can clear a highly selective admissions bar.

This MS is not a program a student applies to directly. UW-Madison awards the Marketing MS along the way to the Marketing named-option PhD in Business at the Wisconsin School of Business; applicants apply to the PhD and pick up the master's as a checkpoint. The 30-credit curriculum runs entirely face-to-face on the Madison campus and centers on two research seminars, Contemporary Topics in Marketing and Research Methods in Marketing (6 credits each), a 1-credit course called Beginning a Research Career in Business, a 12-credit breadth requirement covering both data collection and data analysis methods, and 5 credits of advisor-approved electives. A 3.00 graduate GPA is required throughout.

The numbers back a #5 Hakia Score of 95.1: a 90% graduation rate and a 45% admit rate, both unusually open for a PhD-track program where admission also screens for research fit, not just seat capacity. Tuition is where residency matters most: $10,006 a year in-state against $40,506 out-of-state, a $30,500 gap, or about 4 times the resident rate. This program fits one kind of applicant: someone committed to a marketing research career or academia and entering through the PhD track, not someone shopping for a two-year professional master's to move straight into industry.

Northwestern's Marketing program at the Kellogg School is a research PhD; the MS listed here is a credential awarded to enrolled doctoral students, not a program you apply to on its own. Students who complete 9 graded doctoral courses with a cumulative 3.0 GPA can be considered for the MS while continuing toward, or stepping back from, the PhD. The doctorate itself requires 18 courses split into two tracks: a consumer behavior track built on lab and field-experiment methods (Theory Building in Consumer Behavior Research, Methods and Data in Consumer Research), and a quantitative marketing track that layers in Microeconomics and three Econometrics courses alongside statistical and structural modeling seminars. Students sit a PhD qualifying exam in June of their first year and present a second-year research paper before advancing to candidacy.

A Hakia Score of 94.6 places it #6 on this list, driven by a 95% graduation rate against an 8% admit rate. The math on selectivity: of roughly every 100 applicants, about 8 are admitted, and 95% of the students who enroll go on to complete the program. Tuition is flat at $67,158 regardless of residency, since Kellogg is private. This track fits candidates aiming at faculty positions or high-level quantitative marketing research, not students who want an applied master's to enter industry within a year.

Notre Dame's Master of Science in Digital Marketing (MSDM) is a full-time, residential, STEM-designated program at the Mendoza College of Business built for early-career professionals with fewer than three years of work experience, business and non-business graduates alike. The 34-credit curriculum runs 10 months, starting each August, and covers Digital Brand Strategy, AI and Automation in Marketing, Digital Marketing Analytics, Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing, and Omnichannel Marketing Management. Academic Director Kevin Hartman, formerly Google's Chief Analytics Strategist, teaches several of the core courses. The Class of 2026 enrolled 39 students, 72% women, with an average undergraduate GPA of 3.5 drawn from 31 different undergraduate institutions.

Notre Dame's Hakia Score of 94.2 ranks #7, backed by a 95% graduation rate and an 11% admit rate. Tuition runs $64,518, and the program's own 2026-2027 page lists $63,860 for the year, which works out to roughly $6,386 a month across the 10-month timeline, a compressed but pricey path next to a standard two-year master's. Because tuition is flat (private, no residency split), the program suits students who can pay a premium for speed and a Notre Dame brand and who already know they want digital marketing specifically. Career paths the program lists include market research analyst and marketing analyst roles, occupations the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks under its Market Research Analysts outlook.

Boston University's MS in Global Marketing Management, offered through the Metropolitan College (MET), pairs a core marketing curriculum with international economics, culture, and trade coursework, then layers in specialization courses in ecommerce, digital marketing, SEO, data mining, and market research. The 40-unit program runs 12 to 20 months, available online or on campus, part-time or full-time, with no GRE or GMAT required. Students get access to two levels of self-paced analytics labs that award digitally verifiable badges, and a certificate-to-degree pathway lets students start with the Graduate Certificate in Global Marketing Management and apply those courses toward the full master's. The school reports the program is an accredited member of AACSB International through BU's Questrom School of Business, and cites a #12 ranking for Best Online Master's in Business Programs (Excluding MBA) from U.S. News & World Report.

A Hakia Score of 94 ranks this program #8, with an 89% graduation rate and an 11% admit rate. IPEDS lists BU's tuition at $66,670 flat, since BU is private with no in-state or out-of-state split, but the program's own page prices part-time study at $30,895 to $34,455 for 2026-2027, which is 46% to 52% of that university-wide sticker rate, a savings of roughly $32,000 to $36,000 for students who enroll through Metropolitan College rather than paying the flagship graduate rate. International students on the MSGMM track also get 12 months of Optional Practical Training as an OPT-designated program. The degree fits working professionals who want flexible scheduling and a lower entry cost, a different bet than the compressed, full-time residential model at Notre Dame or the highly selective research track at Kellogg.

William & Mary's Online Master of Science in Marketing runs 33 credits across 9 courses plus a single on-campus residency, and the school says most students finish in as few as 16 months on a part-time schedule with two intake dates a year and no GRE or GMAT required. The curriculum is built around three pillars, analytics and insights, marketing innovation, and modern integrated marketing communications, taught through courses like Analytics for Planning and Optimization and Integrated Campaign Management. A running project called the Marketing Challenge starts in the first course and carries through to a capstone presentation, so students leave with a portfolio piece built on a real problem from their own employer rather than a hypothetical case.

Hakia Score 93.5 places William & Mary 9th on this list, built on an 89% graduation rate and a 34% admit rate, selective but not a lottery. Because it's a public program, tuition splits by residency: $18,709 in-state against $43,442 out-of-state, a $24,733 gap for the identical 16-month online seat. Even the out-of-state rate undercuts every private option on this list, and the in-state rate is dramatically cheaper: $46,299 below Vanderbilt's $65,008, $51,195 below USC's $69,904, and $41,930 below Santa Clara's $60,639.

Nationally, the BLS puts the median wage for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers at $125,470, the same figure every program on this list is training toward; the real difference between schools is what you pay to get there. William & Mary's own enrollment data shows an average student age of 31 with 8 years of work experience, so this program reads as a mid-career accelerator for working marketers, not a first degree, with residency limited to two optional weekends a year in Williamsburg.

Vanderbilt's Master of Marketing at the Owen Graduate School of Management is a 9-month, full-time, in-person program in Nashville built around an immersive curriculum: real-world projects, an embedded internship, and close faculty collaboration rather than a semester-by-semester elective list. Career support is built directly into the degree, 1:1 career coaching and job-search support paired with recruiting relationships at 500+ companies and access to 36 professional and special-interest clubs. The school reports that 84% of the Class of 2025 held an employment offer within 6 months of graduation, and describes Owen as ranked in the top 10% of business schools worldwide.

Hakia Score 93.4 ranks Vanderbilt 10th on this list, a tenth of a point behind William & Mary, but the underlying numbers pull in different directions. Vanderbilt's 94% graduation rate is the highest of this group, and its 6% admit rate is the most selective, tighter than USC's 10%, Santa Clara's 48%, or William & Mary's 34%. Tuition is flat at $65,008 with no in-state or out-of-state distinction, since Vanderbilt is private; spread over the 9-month program, that works out to roughly $7,223 a month, against $1,169 a month for William & Mary's 16-month in-state track.

Nationally, the BLS lists a median wage of $125,470 for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers, the same national figure behind every program here. Vanderbilt's pitch is speed and selectivity rather than price: a single full-time cohort in Nashville and a compressed 9-month timeline built for candidates who can relocate and step away from income for less than a year rather than study part-time around a job.

USC Marshall's MS in Marketing (MSMKT) is a one-year, in-person program in Los Angeles split into two specialization tracks: Consumer Behavior, focused on the psychological, social, and cultural drivers of consumer choice through qualitative methods, and Marketing Analytics, a STEM-qualified track built around predictive modeling and performance measurement. Students get one-on-one curriculum planning with the Program Director and take case studies and projects alongside MBA students, with access to 40-plus graduate business clubs and a mentorship program pairing students with industry alumni. The program's own page cites a #3 national ranking in the QS Business Masters Rankings 2025 and #15 in the QS World University Rankings.

Hakia Score 91.1 ranks USC 11th on this list, resting on a 92% graduation rate and a 10% admit rate, the second-tightest admissions bar here behind Vanderbilt's 6%. Tuition is flat at $69,904 regardless of residency, the highest sticker price of these four programs, $4,896 above Vanderbilt and $9,265 above Santa Clara. The STEM designation on the Analytics track is a real differentiator: Santa Clara's own program page states explicitly that its on-campus and online MSM is not STEM-designated, while USC's Analytics track is, which matters directly for international students weighing an OPT extension.

Nationally, the BLS reports a median wage of $125,470 for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers, the same benchmark behind every program in this set. USC's fit is narrower than most: candidates who want to specialize early, either quantitative and STEM-eligible or qualitative and consumer-insight focused, and who value being embedded in Los Angeles's entertainment, tech, and luxury industries enough to pay the highest tuition on this list for it.

Santa Clara's Leavey School of Business MS in Marketing is built for schedule flexibility: students choose online, in-person, or a mix of both, and most finish the 36-unit program (18 core, 18 elective) in about a year. Core courses cover Marketing Trends and Technology (delivered through a short in-person residency even for online students), Analysis of Customers and Markets, Marketing Analytics, and Foundations of MarTech, while 14 electives let students specialize, Programmatic Advertising, Social Media Marketing, B2B Account-Based Marketing, Digital Advertising, and Retail Strategy among them. The program's own page is explicit that, unlike Leavey's on-ground MSBA, MSFA, and MSIS, its MSM (on-campus or online) is not STEM-designated.

Hakia Score 90.6 ranks Santa Clara 12th on this list, with the widest admissions door of the four: a 48% admit rate, nearly five times USC's 10% and eight times Vanderbilt's 6%, alongside an 88% graduation rate. Tuition runs flat at $60,639, no residency split since it's private. The school's own page prices it differently, $1,333 per unit for a 36-unit minimum, which pencils out to $47,988 before fees, a useful floor for a student who takes exactly the required units and no more.

Nationally, the BLS puts the median wage for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers at $125,470, the same figure behind every program in this set. Santa Clara fits candidates who want maximum control over format and a lower admissions bar without leaving Silicon Valley's network: the school cites 100,000-plus university alumni and 25,000 Leavey alumni, and its own page notes no work experience is required to apply, only that it may strengthen an application.

George Washington University is a private, nonprofit institution in Washington, DC. Its Master's in Marketing program ranks #13 of the 25 analyzed here with a 90.6 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits above the 90.3 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 6.7 points behind top-ranked University of Pennsylvania. The program graduates 84% of its students, above the 84% average across the ranked schools. George Washington University admits 47% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, George Washington University charges $67,420 a year in-state. Over two years that totals about $134,840 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is above-average completion paired with an online option.

Based in Boston, MA, Emerson College is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Master's in Marketing program lands at #14 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 90.5 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits above the 90.3 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 6.8 points behind top-ranked University of Pennsylvania. The program graduates 77% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. Emerson College admits 51% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Emerson College charges $56,032 a year in-state. Over two years that totals about $112,064 in tuition. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its an online option.

Texas A&M University-College Station is a public institution in College Station, TX. Its Master's in Marketing program ranks #15 of the 25 analyzed here with a 90.2 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 7.1 points behind top-ranked University of Pennsylvania. The program graduates 84% of its students, above the 84% average across the ranked schools. Texas A&M University-College Station admits 57% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, Texas A&M University-College Station charges $9,092 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $36,169 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $18,184 in tuition for residents, against $72,338 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with above-average completion.

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is a public institution in Knoxville, TN. Its Master's in Marketing program ranks #16 of the 25 analyzed here with an 88.4 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 74% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville admits 42% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville charges $11,560 a year in-state, roughly 2.7x the $30,704 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $23,120 in tuition for residents, against $61,408 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

Based in Champaign, IL, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a public institution. Its Master's in Marketing program lands at #17 of the 25 ranked here, earning an 87.1 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 85% of its students, above the 84% average across the ranked schools. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign charges $14,975 a year in-state, roughly 2.5x the $36,804 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $29,950 in tuition for residents, against $73,608 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with above-average completion.

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is a public institution in Minneapolis, MN. Its Master's in Marketing program ranks #18 of the 25 analyzed here with an 85.8 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 85% of its students, above the 84% average across the ranked schools. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities admits 80% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities charges $15,148 a year in-state, roughly 2.4x the $36,296 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $30,296 in tuition for residents, against $72,592 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with above-average completion.

Based in Washington, DC, American University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Master's in Marketing program lands at #19 of the 25 ranked here, earning an 85.7 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 75% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. American University admits 62% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, American University charges $57,952 a year in-state. Over two years that totals about $115,904 in tuition. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Based in Boston, MA, Emerson College is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Master's in Marketing program lands at #20 of the 25 ranked here, earning an 85.6 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 77% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. Emerson College admits 51% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Emerson College charges $56,032 a year in-state. Over two years that totals about $112,064 in tuition. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Based in New York, NY, CUNY Bernard M Baruch College is a public institution. Its Master's in Marketing program lands at #21 of the 25 ranked here, earning an 85.6 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 72% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College admits 48% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, CUNY Bernard M Baruch College charges $6,930 a year in-state, roughly 2.1x the $14,880 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $13,860 in tuition for residents, against $29,760 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.

Based in Stony Brook, NY, Stony Brook University is a public institution. Its Master's in Marketing program lands at #22 of the 25 ranked here, earning an 85.3 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 76% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. Stony Brook University admits 49% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Stony Brook University charges $7,070 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $28,880 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $14,140 in tuition for residents, against $57,760 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

Texas Tech University is a public institution in Lubbock, TX. Its Master's in Marketing program ranks #23 of the 25 analyzed here with an 83.6 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 69% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. Texas Tech University admits 73% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Texas Tech University charges $8,935 a year in-state, roughly 2.4x the $21,240 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $17,870 in tuition for residents, against $42,480 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.

Florida International University is a public institution in Miami, FL. Its Master's in Marketing program ranks #24 of the 25 analyzed here with an 83.1 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 74% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. Florida International University admits 55% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Florida International University charges $4,721 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $16,529 out-of-state rate. Over two years that is about $9,442 in tuition for residents, against $33,058 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.

Based in Philadelphia, PA, Drexel University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Master's in Marketing program lands at #25 of the 25 ranked here, earning an 82.8 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 90.3 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 78% of its students, below the 84% average across the ranked schools. Drexel University admits 79% of applicants, less selective than the 40% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Drexel University charges $60,042 a year in-state. Over two years that totals about $120,084 in tuition. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $4,721 at Florida International University to $69,904 at University of Southern California. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $125,470 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.