Finance and Financial Management Services at Freed-Hardeman University

A finance degree that lands you around $45,000 in first-year earnings—based on what similar Tennessee programs report—falls short of what you'd typically expect from this major. Nationally, finance bachelor's graduates earn a median of $53,590, nearly $8,000 more than what peer programs in Tennessee are producing. Even within the state, graduates from UT-Knoxville start significantly higher at $53,826. The estimated $25,812 in debt here comes from looking at comparable private institutions nationally, and while the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 isn't alarming on its face, it means starting your career earning substantially less than finance graduates at larger Tennessee public universities.

The gap matters because finance is generally a field where strong early earnings help justify the degree investment. When comparable programs suggest you'll earn closer to what neighboring states pay teachers than what finance graduates typically command, the value equation shifts. You're looking at roughly five years before debt is manageable, assuming steady career progression—not devastating, but also not the financial launch pad most families expect from a business degree.

If your child is committed to Freed-Hardeman for reasons beyond pure earnings potential—campus culture, size, specific mentorship—the numbers aren't prohibitive. But if the finance degree itself is the draw, Tennessee's public universities appear to deliver meaningfully better outcomes at likely lower cost. The estimated figures suggest this program underperforms both state and national peers in a field where starting salary typically matters considerably.