# General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations

> A program that focuses on the general process and techniques of direct wholesale and retail buying and selling operations and introduces individuals to related careers. Includes instruction in the principles of entrepreneurial economics, basic sales skills, the distribution channels for goods and services, and supervised practical application experiences.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/general-sales-merchandising-and-related-marketing-operations
- CIP code: 52.18 (Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services)
- Colleges offering it: 232 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 232 | $57,064 | $81,273 | $20,500 |
| Associate's | 164 | $50,302 | $39,486 | $14,880 |
| Bachelor's | 76 | $58,900 | $75,176 | $19,043 |
| Master's | 15 | $79,353 | $120,018 | $41,000 |
| Doctoral | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| First professional | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 14 | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Baylor University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/baylor-university-194) | Waco, TX | $125,167 | $21,375 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | College Station, TX | $93,141 | $18,458 |
| [Bowling Green State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus-290) | Bowling Green, OH | $86,245 | $22,625 |
| [Weber State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/weber-state-university-3186) | Ogden, UT | $82,549 | $15,668 |
| [Purdue University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/purdue-university-main-campus-2163) | West Lafayette, IN | $82,441 | $19,043 |
| [University of Wisconsin-Madison](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-wisconsin-madison-main-campus-3084) | Madison, WI | $82,081 | $14,567 |
| [Kennesaw State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/kennesaw-state-university-1376) | Kennesaw, GA | $79,147 | not reported |
| [Ball State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ball-state-university-170) | Muncie, IN | $78,401 | $17,750 |
| [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college-732) | New York, NY | $76,565 | $10,250 |
| [University of Central Oklahoma](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-central-oklahoma-2893) | Edmond, OK | $75,796 | not reported |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-representatives-wholesale-and-manufacturing-technical-and-scientific-products): $104,920 median pay
- [Solar Sales Representatives and Assessors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/solar-sales-representatives-and-assessors): $104,920 median pay
- [Business Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/business-teachers-postsecondary): $99,080 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-non-retail-sales-workers): $87,520 median pay
- [Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/purchasing-agents-except-wholesale-retail-and-farm-products): $77,710 median pay
- [Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/wholesale-and-retail-buyers-except-farm-products): $77,710 median pay
- [Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-representatives-wholesale-and-manufacturing-except-technical-and-scientific-products): $72,080 median pay
- [Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-representatives-of-services-except-advertising-insurance-financial-services-and): $69,990 median pay
- [Advertising Sales Agents](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/advertising-sales-agents): $64,820 median pay
- [Travel Agents](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/travel-agents): $50,160 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-retail-sales-workers): $48,520 median pay
- [Sales and Related Workers, All Other](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-and-related-workers-all-other): $48,280 median pay
- [Demonstrators and Product Promoters](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/demonstrators-and-product-promoters): $39,320 median pay
- [Parts Salespersons](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/parts-salespersons): $38,630 median pay

## More in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-administration-management-and-operations): 1,495 colleges
- [Accounting and Related Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/accounting-and-related-services): 1,096 colleges
- [Marketing](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/marketing): 820 colleges
- [Finance and Financial Management Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/finance-and-financial-management-services): 730 colleges
- [Business Operations Support and Assistant Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-operations-support-and-assistant-services): 669 colleges
- [Business/Commerce, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-commerce-general): 523 colleges
- [Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/entrepreneurial-and-small-business-operations): 520 colleges
- [International Business](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/international-business): 426 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/