# Western Michigan University: Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (bachelor's)

Kalamazoo, MI. IPEDS 172699, CIP 52.19. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/majors/specialized-sales-merchandising-and-marketing-operations

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $28,765
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $46,543 (U.S. median for this major: $56,160 across 37 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,000 (U.S. median $26,345)
- Rank in MI: 5 of 5 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MI median for this major (5 colleges, $57,513): -$10,970
- Versus the U.S. median: -$9,617

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.61 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $46,543 minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $5,263 | $24,262 | 1.8 years |
| 30-48k | $5,734 | $26,434 | 2.0 years |
| 48-75k | $13,833 | $63,770 | 4.9 years |
| 75-110k | $18,307 | $84,395 | 6.4 years |
| 110k+ | $23,625 | $108,911 | 8.3 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations at MI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwood University | $77,647 | $27,000 | $27,232 | 63% |
| Ferris State University | $61,884 | $26,750 | $8,624 | 47% |
| Central Michigan University | $57,513 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| Eastern Michigan University | $51,020 | $34,499 | $15,407 | 46% |
| Western Michigan University | $46,543 | $26,000 | $15,273 | 58% |

## Careers
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (SOC 13-1161): median wage $61,820 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $66,780 MI, $78,760 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7% by 2035
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents (SOC 41-3031): median wage $61,690 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $73,480 MI, $78,660 U.S.; U.S. jobs 1.4% by 2035
- Marketing Managers (SOC 11-2021): median wage $131,500 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $138,510 MI, $166,790 U.S.; U.S. jobs 6.9% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).