Best Online Marketing Programs in Traverse City, MI (2026)

Traverse City, Michigan has 3 accredited schools offering marketing programs, with tuition ranging from $14,760 to $30,681 per year for indexed programs. Traverse City has a population of about 15,491. Median household income is $71,731 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Traverse City, MI metro area, the top-earning marketing-related role is Marketing Manager at a median $137,590 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Marketing Schools to Traverse City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer marketing programs near Traverse City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Traverse City city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Traverse City. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 74.3 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 64.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,735
Avg net price $8,624/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 90.7 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 60.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 91

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Northwood University

Midland, MI 101.7 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 62.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,075
Avg net price $27,232/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Alma College

Alma, MI 105.5 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 51.1
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,742
Avg net price $20,694/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Alpena Community College

Alpena, MI 108.0 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 59.9
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,442
Avg net price $3,320/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,250
Out‑of‑state$8,010
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, MI 118.1 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,955
Avg net price $10,775/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Cornerstone University

Grand Rapids, MI 122.5 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,314
Avg net price $20,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 124.4 miles from Traverse City BOC Score 65.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan marketing page.


Marketing Wages Near Traverse City

Traverse City is part of the Traverse City, MI metro area (BLS area code 45900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$59,460Traverse City, MI$63,662
Marketing Manager$137,590Traverse City, MI$147,313
Public Relations Specialist$61,760Traverse City, MI$66,124
Advertising and Promotions Manager$101,610MI statewide$108,790

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Traverse City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population15,491Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$71,731Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+47.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Traverse City-Area Cities With Marketing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited marketing schools are near Traverse City, MI?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering marketing programs near Traverse City. The closest is North Central Michigan College in Petoskey, MI (52.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Central Michigan University (90.7 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying marketing roles near Traverse City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying marketing-related roles near Traverse City are: Marketing Manager ($137,590), Advertising and Promotions Manager ($101,610), Public Relations Specialist ($61,760). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Mount Pleasant instead of Traverse City?

Mount Pleasant, MI is 89.9 miles from Traverse City and has its own set of local marketing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Traverse City an affordable place to study marketing?

Traverse City’s median household income of $71,731 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Traverse City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Marketing Programs

Other Programs Available in Traverse City

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Traverse City:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.