Business/Commerce at Ashland University

The small sample size here matters—with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these numbers could shift dramatically year to year. That said, the pattern is troubling: Ashland business graduates start at $50,262, which beats both Ohio and national medians, but by year four they're earning $43,439, a 14% decline that's hard to explain away. Either these graduates are making career pivots, facing local market challenges, or encountering advancement barriers that peers elsewhere don't face.

The debt picture is actually better than it looks at first glance. At $30,625, it sits above both state and national medians, but that 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable compared to many business programs—you're looking at roughly seven months of pre-tax income to cover the entire debt load. Among Ohio business programs, Ashland lands squarely at the 60th percentile for earnings, meaning it's middle-of-the-pack performance in a state with strong programs like Franklin University and Ohio State branches.

For an 81% admission rate school serving a meaningful number of Pell students, this program gets graduates employed quickly at decent starting salaries. But those declining mid-career earnings deserve serious scrutiny. Ask about alumni career paths and whether graduates typically stay in the Ashland region, where the job market may limit growth opportunities. If your child plans to launch their career elsewhere or in a major Ohio metro, this program might serve as a solid foundation—just don't expect the earnings trajectory you'd see at peer institutions.