Finance and Financial Management Services at Ashford University

Ashford's finance program puts graduates in the unusual position of earning less four years into their careers than they did fresh out of college—a $2,275 decline that raises questions about career trajectory. While the $57,566 first-year salary beats the national median by roughly $4,000, it lags behind California's median by about $2,600 and sits at just the 40th percentile among the state's 25 finance programs. This matters because California finance graduates typically command significantly higher salaries, with schools like Santa Clara and University of Phoenix placing graduates 20-40% above Ashford's numbers.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $31,133, graduates carry manageable debt loads—nearly $8,000 less than the national median and placing this program in the 95th percentile (meaning only 5% of programs have lower debt). The 0.54 debt-to-earnings ratio means students could theoretically pay off their loans in about seven months of gross income, which is solid. However, this advantage gets tempered by those declining earnings, suggesting graduates may face challenges advancing in competitive finance roles or need to change employers to see meaningful salary growth.

For California families, the value proposition is tricky. You're getting reasonable debt with above-average national earnings, but trailing most in-state alternatives by a meaningful margin. If your child is considering this program, understand they'll likely need to be proactive about career advancement to reverse that early earnings decline.