Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at Cornell College

First-year earnings of $42,127 place Cornell College's Management Sciences program in the bottom 5% nationally—a striking position for a quantitative field that typically promises strong returns. While the estimated debt of $24,840 (based on typical borrowing patterns at similar private colleges) isn't catastrophic, it creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 that suggests graduates will face over seven months of gross pay to clear their loans. More troubling is the earnings gap: the typical Iowa graduate in this field earns $59,682, while peer programs at Drake and University of Iowa deliver first-year salaries around $70,000-$80,000.

The small graduate cohort that triggered data suppression here could indicate limited program size or employer connections. In quantitative business fields where internships and recruiting relationships matter enormously, this raises practical concerns about whether students are accessing the career networks that translate a management science degree into competitive salaries. The 25th percentile ranking within Iowa—where Cornell sits among 12 programs—suggests this isn't just about Iowa's job market lagging behind coastal hubs.

For families investing in a private college education, this program appears misaligned with its field's typical outcomes. Management sciences degrees elsewhere routinely produce $60,000+ starting salaries that justify moderate debt loads. Here, the combination of below-median earnings and limited outcome visibility makes it difficult to recommend over Iowa's public options or Drake's stronger-performing program, unless Cornell offers unique advantages in financial aid or student experience that dramatically alter the net investment.