Business Administration, Management and Operations at Cottey College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 typically signals manageable student loans, but the limited data from Cottey's small business program means you're making this decision largely in the dark. Based on comparable business bachelor's programs across Missouri, graduates might expect around $42,525 in first-year earnings against roughly $26,125 in debt—figures that align closely with the state median but fall short of the $45,703 national benchmark for business degrees.

The real concern isn't the estimated numbers themselves, which suggest reasonable financial outcomes, but rather the competitive gap. Missouri's top business programs—including Ranken Technical College and Columbia College—report graduates earning $53,000 to $73,000 in their first year, significantly outpacing what peer programs of Cottey's size typically produce. This suggests that program reputation and employer connections matter considerably in the Missouri business job market.

For a small women's college with a 66% admission rate serving nearly half its students on Pell grants, Cottey may offer valuable support and community. However, without actual outcome data, you're essentially betting that this specific program will perform at least as well as the median Missouri business school. That's a different calculation than choosing a program with proven track record of graduate success.