Drake University offers one of the most valuable marketing degrees in the nation, according to a new list by College Factual.
The higher education ranking website said Drake’s undergraduate marketing major is the 14th best value in the nation. The list, featured recently by USA Today College, assigned value rankings by comparing estimated average starting salaries and mid-career salaries for graduates of marketing programs across the United States. The website says Drake’s marketing graduates have an estimated starting salary of $38,000 and a mid-career salary of $93,000.
College Factual placed Drake’s marketing program at 34th in the nation for overall quality—the highest rank of any school in Iowa. The overall rankings considered variables like the percentage of students at the University studying marketing, the percentage of employees in the marketing field who hold degrees from the University, and the University’s ranking in College Factual’s list of best colleges.
Students in Drake’s marketing program enjoy the flexibility to specialize areas of study that include direct and interactive marketing, integrated marketing communications, marketing management, marketing research, and sales. During the academic year students gain real-world professional experience through internships with central Iowa employers, including Meredith Corporation, Principal Financial Group, and Kemin Industries.
“Students commonly pair those experiences with summer internships beyond the Des Moines area, at major employers such as Unilever, ESPN, Procter and Gamble, Nordstrom, Target, and CVS,” said Mary Edrington, associate professor of practice in marketing and the program’s internship coordinator.
The program includes five full-time faculty, four of whom have earned their doctoral degrees. All full-time faculty are engaged in teaching classes from the introductory to advanced levels. Their research interests include international consumer behavior, e-commerce, brand alliances, cause-related marketing, television consumption, marketing education, social marketing and public policy, macromarketing, and consumer literacy.
“Drake’s marketing faculty are actively engaged in research dealing with social problems, consumer behavior, and international marketing,” said Chip Miller, Thomas F. Sheehan Distinguished Professor of Marketing. “Senior faculty have all published in the top journals of marketing during their careers. This intensive and engaged scholarship ensures that students work with faculty who are at the cutting edge of their fields.”
Drake’s marketing program is also bolstered by the success of its alumni, who work as professionals in a wide variety of marketing positions around the world and provide mentoring, internships, and full-time job placements for students.