Business Administration, Management and Operations at Asbury University

Asbury University's business program posts the highest graduate earnings among Kentucky business programs, with first-year pay of $67,117—more than $20,000 above the next closest Kentucky school and 47% above the state median. Combine that with debt of just $16,125, and you get a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24, meaning graduates earn back their entire debt burden in roughly three months. Among the 27 Kentucky business programs, this ranks 95th percentile for both earnings and low debt.

The major caveat: these impressive numbers come from a small graduating class (under 30 students). Small sample sizes can be misleading—a few graduates landing unusually good jobs can skew the entire picture. Without a larger track record, it's harder to know whether these outcomes are typical or exceptional. That said, Asbury's business program dramatically outperforms even the national 75th percentile ($52,657), suggesting something noteworthy is happening here, whether it's strong industry connections, targeted placement, or student quality.

For families considering this program, the financial picture looks exceptional on paper, but ask admissions for multi-year data to confirm consistency. If these results hold across graduating classes, you're looking at one of Kentucky's best values in business education—modest debt with earnings that compete with much larger state programs.