Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at Drake University

Drake's private-school price tag creates uncertainty for this entrepreneurship bachelor's program. With estimated debt of $25,396—slightly above both state and national norms—families are betting on outcomes that mirror what similar small-business programs produce nationally, where first-year earnings typically land around $45,265. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 sits in manageable territory, but it's worth noting that peer entrepreneurship programs at Buena Vista and Iowa State in Iowa report actual graduate earnings in the $46,000-$49,000 range, suggesting the national estimate may be conservative for this state.

The real question is whether Drake's business network and resources justify the private tuition when comparable Iowa programs produce similar or better results. Entrepreneurship majors face particular variability in early earnings—some launch immediately into ventures with minimal cash flow, while others take traditional business roles first. This makes the estimated figures even harder to interpret, since they reflect diverse career paths that may not match your student's specific plans.

If your child has concrete entrepreneurial goals and plans to leverage Drake's Des Moines location for local business connections, the debt level won't cripple them. But given the lack of Drake-specific data and the presence of less expensive alternatives reporting solid outcomes, you'll need strong non-financial reasons—campus fit, specific faculty, accelerator programs—to justify the premium.