Business Administration, Management and Operations at Herzing University-Birmingham

At nearly $39,000 in debt for an associate's degree that leads to $30,536 in first-year earnings, Herzing University-Birmingham's business management program carries significant financial risk. This debt load is higher than 95% of similar programs nationally, while earnings fall in just the 25th percentile among Alabama business programs—meaning three-quarters of comparable in-state options deliver better outcomes. The state's median for this degree is $40,178, a full $10,000 more than Herzing graduates earn initially.

The earnings trajectory shows some recovery, climbing 22% to $37,295 by year four, but this still leaves graduates well below what peers at other Alabama schools earn from day one. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.27, graduates face debt exceeding their entire first year's salary—a burden that makes financial independence difficult in those crucial early years. For a student body where 64% receive Pell grants, this debt burden is particularly concerning.

Alabama families have notably better alternatives for business associate's degrees. When debt is this high relative to earnings potential, and both metrics lag far behind state averages, the financial math doesn't work in students' favor. This program appears to saddle graduates with above-average debt for below-average outcomes in the Alabama market.