General Sales, Merchandising at East Carolina University

East Carolina's sales and merchandising program produces surprisingly low debt loads—just $18,750 compared to the national median of $24,649—giving graduates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36. First-year earnings of $52,684 land near the national median but rank in the 60th percentile among North Carolina programs, suggesting this is a competitive in-state option for students interested in sales careers.

The real advantage here is graduating with roughly $6,000 less debt than typical sales program graduates nationally while earning similar starting salaries. That translates to lower monthly payments and more financial flexibility early in your career. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year, and there's only one other comparable program in North Carolina to benchmark against.

For North Carolina families looking at sales and merchandising programs, this represents a solid value play—competitive earnings with notably lighter debt burden. The 90% admission rate makes it accessible, though the limited sample means you should verify current graduate outcomes directly with the department before committing.