Business/Commerce at Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University's business program delivers exactly middle-of-the-pack results for Kentucky students, but that positioning tells two very different stories depending on your frame of reference. At $41,502 in first-year earnings, graduates earn slightly more than the state median for business programs ($41,280) and land in the 60th percentile statewide—a respectable showing that beats out most Kentucky competitors. However, these same graduates trail the national median by $6,000 annually, placing them in just the 21st percentile nationally. The $27,000 in typical debt is manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65, but it doesn't offer the kind of value proposition you'd find at Kentucky's top programs.

The real question is whether your child plans to stay in Kentucky or compete in broader job markets. If remaining in-state, EKU's business degree performs adequately—graduates see 13% earnings growth over four years and carry debt levels typical for the state. But families should recognize they're leaving money on the table compared to programs like Sullivan University ($56,432) or University of Kentucky ($49,431), where graduates earn $7,000-$15,000 more annually. For a relatively open-admission program serving a high proportion of Pell grant recipients, EKU provides accessible business training that works for Kentucky's regional economy, just not at the premium tier.