Being in the marketing industry I get to meet people who received their marketing degree from different universities around California. This is why I wanted to put together some useful information on the top universities that offer a marketing program in California.
The top universities that offer marketing programs in the state of California are:
- Santa Clara
- University of San Diego
- Loyola Marymount University
- University of San Francisco
- Point Loma Nazarene University
- Azusa Pacific University
- California Baptist University
- University of Redlands
- Fresno Pacific University
This post will help you choose the right university for you. This is an important decision because you will be spending years going to this school and you will be spending a lot of money on your degree. Do not take this decision lightly and discover what I researched about the top universities that have marketing programs in California before you make your decision.
Further down we will also cover:
The easiest way to earn money as a marketer while attending college for Marketing.
1. Santa Clara
Santa Clara is a highly rated private, Catholic university located in Santa Clara, California in the San Francisco Bay Area.
They are a medium-sized university and 91% of their students graduate. The average salary for a recent graduate is $61,100.
- Acceptance rate: 50%
- SAT Range: 1270 – 1440
- ACT Range: 28 – 32
- Application fee: $60
- Yearly Cost: $41,545
- Average Aid Awarded: $27,605
- Student Faculty Ratio: 10:1
- Full-TIme Student: 5,440
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $72,600 / year
2. University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a private catholic university. It is located in San Diego, California. They are a mid-sized school with about 5,678 students actively attending the school. The admittance rate is around 53%. The medium salary range for a recent graduate is $50,100.
They have a beautiful campus and they also are known to host lively parties. If you are looking for a college that has a beautiful campus and has a great learning environment with a splash of fun this might be the best choice.
- Acceptance rate: 53%
- SAT Range: 1190 – 1360
- ACT Range: 25 – 30
- Application fee: $55
- Yearly Cost: $35,931
- Average Aid Awarded: $28,994
- Student Faculty Ratio: 14:1
- Full-TIme Student: 5,678
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $60,000
3. Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a diverse university and the experience from what I can tell is one that is focused on learning and educating you. Going here will help you grow as a person and I think that LMU would be awesome for anyone who wants a good learning experience and be close to tons of activities.
LMU is located close to LAX and there is so many options for you to choose from when it comes to your downtime.
I grew up in New York City and I truly am a big city type of person and that is why I love LMU. The cultural diversity is also really attractive because it will help you become more cultured and open-minded to different cultures.
The university is located close to beaches and nightlife. This is a perfect mix of learning and having fun and I think that is what the college experience is about.
They pride themselves on the fact that 97% of their student find a job within 6 months of graduating. This is impressive because most college recent graduates complain about not being able to find a job for over a year after graduating.
- Acceptance rate: 47%
- SAT Range: 1210 – 1390
- ACT Range: 27 – 31
- Application fee: $60
- Yearly Cost: $43,779
- Average Aid Awarded: $20,764
- Student-faculty Ratio: 10:1
- Full-TIme Student: 6:466
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $61,300
4. University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco will be a great place to get your education. They have fed their student’s passion for over 164 years.
Being able to surf and ski in the same day makes going to USF a truly unique experience.
USF graduates rank among the top 3% in the U.S. for their earning potential.
- Acceptance rate: 65%
- SAT Range: 1130 – 1330
- ACT Range: 23 – 29
- Application fee: $70
- Yearly Cost: $34,475
- Average Aid Awarded: $30,580
- Student-faculty Ratio: 13:1
- Full-TIme Student: 6,435
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $62,300
5. Point Loma Nazarene University
Point Loma Nazarene is a highly rated Christian university located in San Diego. They are a small university.
Recent graduates earn an average salary of $40,800. They are close to Disney and only 1.5 hours from the mountains.
The cam[pus is a short walk to the beach and this location truly offers a little of everything. Mountains, nightlife in San Diego, Disney, Beaches, they truly have it all.
- Acceptance rate: 69%
- SAT Range: 1140 – 1300
- ACT Range: 24 – 29
- Application fee: $55
- Yearly Cost: $31,933
- Average Aid Awarded: $17,614
- Student-faculty Ratio: 14:1
- Full-TIme Student: 2,595
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $50,900
6. Azusa Pacific University
Azusa Pacific is an above-average private university. They are located in the Los Angeles area. APU is a Christian university and they are the perfect fit for someone who has Christian beliefs and wants to attend a school that will not only lift them up academically but also lifts them up spiritually.
Recent graduates have an average salary of $42,000.
- Acceptance rate: 69%
- SAT Range: 1020 – 1240
- ACT Range: 21 – 27
- Application fee: $45
- Yearly Cost: $29,152
- Average Aid Awarded: $22,536
- Student-faculty Ratio: 11:1
- Full-TIme Student: 5,003
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $51,100
7. California Baptist University
California Baptist University is an above-average private Baptist university located in Riverside, California. They are considered to be a midsized university and their acceptance rate is about 80%.
Recent graduates earn an average salary of $34,300.
- Acceptance rate: 80%
- SAT Range: 990 – 1200
- ACT Range: 19 -25
- Application fee: $45
- Yearly Cost: $24,170
- Average Aid Awarded: $20,485
- Student-faculty Ratio: 14:1
- Full-TIme Student: 6,859
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $42,600
8. University of Redlands
The University of Redlands offers a great learning environment that will mold you into the person that you will be. They love their school activities and sports teams.
There’s a vibe at Redlands that welcomes you with open arms and inspires you to try new things. An atmosphere that invites you to take the time to find what’s meaningful and encourages you to pursue it with passion.
The students come from 45 states and 45 countries, this cultural melting pot will help you grow as an individual.
There are 120 student-led organizations that are involved in social justice, faith-based, service, arts, Greek, and recreational. The students are very much involved with the community and if this sounds like a good fit for you this has to be where you go.
- Acceptance rate: 75%
- SAT Range: 1080 – 1260
- ACT Range: 23 – 28
- Application fee: $50
- Yearly Cost: $29,226
- Average Aid Awarded: $36,147
- Student-faculty Ratio: 12:1
- Full-TIme Student: 2,501
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $55,000
9. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno Pacific is an above-average private, Christian university located in Fresno, California. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Child Development.
Recent graduates earn an average salary of $34,900.
- Acceptance rate: 85%
- SAT Range: 970 – 1140
- ACT Range: 17 – 23
- Application fee: $40
- Yearly Cost: $19,965
- Average Aid Awarded: $21,151
- Student-faculty Ratio: 13:1
- Full-TIme Student: 2,445
- Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation: $43,900
The easiest way to earn money as a marketing student?
The easiest way to earn money while going to school for a degree in marketing is to be an affiliate marketer. It is low overhead and the amount of money needed to start your affiliate marketing career is low.
You will need to know marketing but this is okay because you want a career in marketing so what better way to learn it than actually doing it. You will learn more than what the professors know if you really apply yourself in learning real-life marketing.
As an affiliate marketer, you will learn how to launch ad campaigns and how to analyze the data. You will cut campaigns that are not performing and you will scale the ones that are.
If you have a passion for marketing this is a great opportunity for you to learn it deeply. I remember hearing a professor mention that Facebook will never be as popular as TV marketing and shortly after that I saw an ad campaign scale into thousands of dollars a day on Facebook.
As an affiliate marketer, you will have your finger on the marketing pulse and this is a good way to find out if this truly is the career that you want to spend the rest of your life doing.
This is the best way in discovering if a career in marketing is right for you. Discovering this before you dedicate 4 years of time and money into a degree to later find out that you hate is will be devastating.
If you want to learn some more about affiliate marketing here are 3 of my favorite training:
1. John Crestani’s free affiliate training
Forbes write up on John Crestani: Forbes
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2. Income School
Income school is not a straight-up affiliate program course like John Crestani offers. Income school’s course teaches you how to create a blog (much like the one you are reading now) and they teach how to monetize the website (blog).
For example, you choose a niche that you are interested in and you create the website based around this niche ( I chose marketing) and then you write a blog post about the niche. They teach how to formulate the content in a way that it ranks on Google and it truly works. It takes about 8 months of content work but after that, your website will be indexed by Google and you will be able to rank your content.
This is a great passive income but it really takes a lot of effort on your part. It will consist of you writing content on your blog regularly because if not this will not work for you. You then will become an affiliate for products that are related to your niche.
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3. Click Bank University
Click bank is an affiliate marketing offer website. You can go there for free to promote any one of the affiliates offers that they have. You apply and once you are accepted you can promote any of their offers and you will get paid for any sales that you make using your assigned link.
You will learn how to market product and you will earn PPC, ROAS, LTV, etc. You will learn how to launch ad campaigns on different platforms like social media, native, search engine, etc. Doing this will give you experience that you can use when you apply for a job once you graduate or maybe you decide to stay being an affiliate.
Click Bank offers a university to its affiliate partners because the more money the affiliate makes the more money they make so who better to teach you the secrets of affiliate marketing.
Related information that can help you in your marketing career: