Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at DePaul University

DePaul's Management Sciences program tells two very different stories depending on your reference point. Nationally, it lands below average—earning roughly $10,000 less than the typical program of this type. But zoom into Illinois, and suddenly you're looking at a program that beats 60% of its in-state competitors, with first-year earnings nearly $3,000 above the state median. For families prioritizing an affordable in-state option in Chicago, that gap matters more than the national comparison.

The debt picture reinforces this regional value proposition. At $24,500, graduates carry a manageable load—less than half their first-year salary and right in line with both state and national norms. The 21% earnings growth over four years shows solid career progression, even if it doesn't close the gap with elite programs like UIUC or North Central. The robust sample size means these aren't statistical flukes; this is genuinely what DePaul graduates in this field are experiencing.

The bottom line: If your child is staying in Illinois and values DePaul's urban Chicago location and internship network, this program delivers reasonable outcomes at a reasonable price. Just understand they're not competing with top-tier quantitative programs—they're getting a solid mid-market credential that performs better than most local alternatives but trails national leaders by a meaningful margin.