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# Best Advertising Programs in the West (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Regional list from [Best Advertising Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-advertising-programs/)

This page ranks the 22 Advertising programs in the West by median earnings of Advertising graduates four years after completing, highest first. [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) leads the list at $87,946, with a gap of $6,529 over [Pepperdine University](/school/pepperdine-university/majors/) at $81,417.

Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $87,946 to $25,824, with a median of $64,428. For 4 of the 22 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 12 of the 22 programs and private nonprofits for 10. California State University-Dominguez Hills posts the lowest average net price on the list, at $8,615.

Arizona State University Campus Immersion ranks 21st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the best showing in the group.

## The ranked list

22 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $87,946 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) reports [$87,946 in median earnings](/school/university-of-southern-california/outcomes/) of Advertising graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 10%. |
| 2 | Pepperdine University · Malibu, CA | $81,417 | $58,098 | $50,560 | 62.9% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [Pepperdine University](/school/pepperdine-university/majors/) left with a [median of $23,510](/school/pepperdine-university/outcomes/) in federal loans, while its Advertising graduates earned $81,417 four years after completing. |
| 3 | University of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA | $81,285 | $41,431 | $31,537 | 61.7% |
|  | [University of San Francisco](/school/university-of-san-francisco/majors/) ranks 3rd on this list and posts an [average net price of $41,431](/school/university-of-san-francisco/cost/). |
| 4 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $80,841 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
|  | With an [average net price of $10,444](/school/brigham-young-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, [Brigham Young University](/school/brigham-young-university/majors/) also reports $80,841 in median earnings for its Advertising graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $80,139 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
|  | [Chapman University](/school/chapman-university/majors/) [admits 65% of applicants](/school/chapman-university/admissions/) and its Advertising graduates earned a median of $80,139 four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $74,779 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
|  | [University of Colorado Boulder](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/), a public university in Boulder, reports [$74,779 in median earnings](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/outcomes/) of Advertising graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $25,346. |
| 7 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $73,410 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
|  | Median earnings of $73,410 four years after completing place [University of Oregon](/school/university-of-oregon/majors/) 7th on this list, with a cohort of 470 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 8 | Gonzaga University · Spokane, WA | $69,977 | $35,119 | $20,833 | 81.7% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Gonzaga University left with a median of $24,454 in federal loans, and the school reports an average net price of $35,119. |
| 9 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | $67,647 | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% |
|  | [Washington State University](/school/washington-state-university/majors/) reports [$67,647 in median earnings](/school/washington-state-university/outcomes/) of Advertising graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $7,074 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 10 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $67,414 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
|  | [San Diego State University](/school/san-diego-state-university/majors/) [admits 36% of applicants](/school/san-diego-state-university/admissions/) and its Advertising graduates earned a median of $67,414 four years after completing. |
| 11 | Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA | $66,538 | $18,476 | $11,846 | 90.6% |
|  | [Central Washington University](/school/central-washington-university/majors/) ranks 11th on this list, with [median earnings of $66,538](/school/central-washington-university/outcomes/) for its Advertising graduates four years after completing. |
| 12 | Biola University · La Mirada, CA | $62,319 | $31,495 | $27,144 | 74.4% |
|  | [Biola University](/school/biola-university/majors/) reports an [average net price of $31,495](/school/biola-university/cost/) and median earnings of $62,319 for its Advertising graduates four years after completing. |
| 13 | University of Portland · Portland, OR | $62,264 | $28,210 | $20,070 | 89.2% |
|  | University of Portland, a private nonprofit university in Portland, reports median earnings of $62,264 for its Advertising graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 89%. |
| 14 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $59,864 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [Arizona State University Campus Immersion](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/majors/) left with a [median of $19,500](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school ranks 21st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 15 | University of Idaho · Moscow, ID | $56,032 | $14,831 | $11,270 | 75.5% |
|  | [University of Idaho](/school/university-of-idaho/majors/) ranks 15th on this list, with [$56,032 in median earnings](/school/university-of-idaho/outcomes/) for its Advertising graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,831. |
| 16 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $55,863 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
|  | With 148 graduates in the earnings cohort, [Northern Arizona University](/school/northern-arizona-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $55,863](/school/northern-arizona-university/outcomes/) for its Advertising graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | California Baptist University · Riverside, CA | $52,904 | $26,285 | $22,298 | 84.9% |
|  | [California Baptist University](/school/california-baptist-university/majors/) [admits 85% of applicants](/school/california-baptist-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $52,904 for its Advertising graduates four years after completing. |
| 18 | Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO | $50,478 | $15,327 | $12,481 | 98.8% |
|  | [Metropolitan State University of Denver](/school/metropolitan-state-university-of-denver/majors/) has an [admission rate of 99%](/school/metropolitan-state-university-of-denver/admissions/) and an average net price of $15,327, while its Advertising graduates earn a median of $50,478 four years after completing. |
| 19 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $41,379 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 84.6% |
|  | [San Jose State University](/school/san-jose-state-university/majors/) [ranks 23rd on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/san-jose-state-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Advertising graduates earn a median of $41,379 four years after completing. |
| 20 | Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT | $38,289 | $16,524 | $13,927 | Not reported |
|  | Montana State University Billings reports median earnings of $38,289 for its Advertising graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $16,524. |
| 21 | California State University-Dominguez Hills · Carson, CA | $36,099 | $8,615 | $7,303 | 93.3% |
|  | [California State University-Dominguez Hills](/school/california-state-university-dominguez-hills/majors/) [ranks 46th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-state-university-dominguez-hills/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $8,615. |
| 22 | George Fox University · Newberg, OR | $25,824 | $31,679 | $22,871 | 93.5% |
|  | George Fox University, a private nonprofit university in Newberg, reports median earnings of $25,824 for its Advertising graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 94%. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Advertising graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the West appear. The figure is the median for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 4 of the 22 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from University of Southern California to the bottom of the list is $62,122, and the gap between University of Southern California and Pepperdine University is $6,529.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Advertising Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-advertising-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Advertising Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-advertising-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Best Advertising Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-advertising-programs-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Advertising Programs in the South](/rankings/best-advertising-programs-in-the-south/)
-   Communication Colleges in the West