Business/Commerce at Brigham Young University

Peer programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $47,500 for business bachelor's degrees, with estimated debt of $27,000 at BYU—putting the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.57. That's slightly above the national median debt for this credential, but well within reasonable territory for a business degree. The challenge here is that both figures are estimates derived from comparable programs elsewhere, so there's meaningful uncertainty about what BYU's specific graduates experience. Given the school's strong academic profile (average SAT of 1376) and its unique position as a private religious institution with relatively accessible admission (69% acceptance rate), actual outcomes could vary considerably from these national benchmarks.

The business credential itself remains broadly practical—it opens doors across industries and typically offers steady career progression. Similar programs nationwide put about three-quarters of graduates above $54,700 in their first year, suggesting decent upside potential. However, without reported data from BYU or even from other Utah business programs for comparison, you're making this decision somewhat blind. The practical question becomes whether your family feels confident in BYU's specific reputation and network in your target markets, since the numbers alone don't tell a complete story. If your child has other business program acceptances with reported outcomes, compare those directly rather than relying on these estimates.