Finance and Financial Management Services at Aurora University

Aurora University's finance program lands squarely in the middle—40th percentile among Illinois programs with first-year earnings of $51,437. That's about $2,500 below both the state and national median for finance degrees. The debt load of $24,499 is close to typical, resulting in a manageable 0.48 debt-to-earnings ratio that suggests graduates can handle their loan payments on an entry-level salary.

The gap with Illinois's top-tier programs is significant: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn $75,000 right out of school, nearly 50% more than Aurora grads. Even mid-tier programs like Illinois Wesleyan and Lake Forest College show substantially higher starting salaries. For a field like finance where credential prestige and networking often matter, this differential could persist throughout a career.

This program works if your child is admitted to Aurora with merit aid that reduces the sticker price, or if they're commuting from home to keep costs down. The debt isn't crushing, and the earnings support a middle-class lifestyle—just don't expect the accelerated trajectory that Illinois's more competitive finance programs deliver. If your student has the grades for DePaul or similar schools, the higher first-year earnings would likely justify any moderate increase in cost.