Finance and Financial Management Services at Albion College

Albion College's finance program graduates earn nearly $60,000 in their first year—about $6,000 above the national median and $3,000 above Michigan's average. While the program doesn't quite match the earnings of nearby powerhouses like Michigan State ($68,000) or Oakland ($62,000), it outperforms three-quarters of finance programs nationwide. Graduates leave with $25,000 in debt, slightly above typical levels but manageable given the strong starting salaries.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 means graduates owe less than half their first-year salary—a workable position for someone entering finance. At a small liberal arts college with an 83% admission rate and substantial Pell grant participation, these outcomes suggest decent career services and employer connections. Michigan residents have several options with higher earning potential, but for students drawn to Albion's smaller campus environment, the financial trade-off isn't severe.

The caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual results may vary more than at larger programs. If your child is choosing between this and Michigan State purely on career outcomes, the numbers favor the bigger school. But if Albion offers the right fit otherwise, the finance program won't handicap their launch into the field.