Finance and Financial Management Services at Baker College

Baker College's finance program graduates start below the mark—earning about $5,500 less than the typical Michigan finance graduate and trailing the national median as well. At 40th percentile statewide, this places graduates well behind peers at Michigan State ($68,103), Oakland ($61,804), and even regional alternatives like Central Michigan. The good news is that debt load sits notably below both state and national norms at $31,822, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio reasonable at 0.62.

The 17% earnings growth over four years brings graduates closer to competitive territory, reaching $60,152 by year four. That's meaningful improvement, though it still leaves them in the middle of the pack. However, these figures come from a very small sample—fewer than 30 graduates—which means a handful of exceptionally successful or struggling alumni could skew the picture significantly. The actual experience for your student might differ considerably from these medians.

For an 88% admission rate institution serving a substantial Pell grant population, Baker offers accessible entry into finance careers without crushing debt. But parents should recognize the tradeoff: lower starting salaries compared to Michigan's flagship and competitive programs. If your student can gain admission to Michigan State or Oakland, the $7,000-10,000 salary advantage would likely justify similar debt levels. Baker makes sense primarily as a more affordable pathway when those higher-performing programs aren't realistic options.