Business Administration, Management and Operations at College of Our Lady of the Elms

A $35,000 first-year salary for a business management degree raises immediate concerns, landing this program in the bottom 5% nationally and the bottom quarter among Massachusetts schools. While the debt load of $26,000 is manageable in absolute terms—matching both state and national medians—it becomes problematic when paired with earnings nearly $14,000 below the state median and $10,000 below the national benchmark. Compare this to business programs at Boston College or BU, where graduates start above $70,000, or even the state median of $49,000, and the gap becomes stark.

The sample size here is under 30 graduates, which means these figures could shift significantly year to year. That said, when a business degree starts you at roughly what many retail management positions pay, without the four years of college debt, the value calculation gets complicated. The 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but it means nearly nine months of gross income goes toward student loans—a tight squeeze for someone earning $35,000 in Massachusetts, where cost of living runs high.

For families considering this program, the question is whether the specific benefits of Elms—perhaps smaller classes, particular faculty relationships, or geographic convenience—justify starting $14,000 behind peers at other Massachusetts schools. If not, exploring business programs at state universities or other regional options that clear the $48,000 median would make more financial sense.