Business/Managerial Economics at Ave Maria University

With estimated first-year earnings around $47,600—the median for Florida's handful of business economics programs—Ave Maria's debt picture becomes the critical question. The estimated $24,000 in debt sits above both the state median ($17,750) and slightly above the national median ($22,250) for this degree, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50 that's manageable but not particularly competitive.

What complicates the assessment is that these figures come from similar programs rather than Ave Maria's actual graduate outcomes. Florida's business economics programs show considerable range—University of Miami graduates earn $63,662 while University of North Florida sits at $42,357—suggesting that institutional factors matter significantly. Ave Maria's 23% Pell grant enrollment and 45% admission rate place it in a different context than Miami, but without actual outcomes data, parents can't know where their child would land within Florida's spectrum.

The practical reality: if the estimates hold, a graduate would owe about half their first-year salary, which is workable for standard repayment. But families considering this program should ask Ave Maria directly about graduate outcomes and employment support, particularly since the school's data isn't publicly reportable due to small cohort sizes. Understanding whether graduates actually secure business economics positions—versus general business roles—matters when you're borrowing above the state median for this specific credential.