Hospitality Administration/Management at College of Southern Nevada

This program's earnings trajectory tells an unusually dramatic story, though the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers might not be typical. Starting at just $23,035 after one year—well below the $28,789 national median—graduates see their earnings jump 75% to over $40,000 by year four. That's remarkable growth, especially in Las Vegas's hospitality-heavy economy where advancing from entry-level positions can happen quickly for those who stay in the industry.

The state context matters here: while this program ranks in just the 20th percentile nationally, it's in the 60th percentile among Nevada's two hospitality programs, suggesting it may be calibrated specifically for the local market. With debt of $17,450 requiring about nine months of first-year earnings to repay—and much less based on fourth-year income—the financial burden isn't catastrophic if your child can weather those lean early months.

The real question is whether your child will stick with hospitality long enough to see those gains. The weak first-year earnings might reflect graduates starting in roles like front desk or food service, positions that either lead somewhere or become dead ends. For a student committed to Las Vegas's signature industry with a plan to advance, this could work. For someone uncertain about hospitality or planning to leave Nevada, the below-average starting point makes this a riskier bet than the numbers initially suggest.