Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at High Point University

A bachelor's in entrepreneurship from High Point comes with an estimated $25,396 in debt—just above the national median for this degree—but with first-year earnings that peer programs nationally suggest will land around $45,265. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 is manageable by standard measures, meaning graduates should be able to handle monthly loan payments without crushing their budget. However, the wide range among NC's entrepreneurship programs—from Elon grads earning $62,626 to Johnson & Wales grads at $30,996—shows how dramatically outcomes can vary even within the same state.

What's less clear is where High Point's specific program falls within that spectrum. The university's 11% Pell grant rate and $1,242 average SAT suggest a wealthier student body that may bring business connections and family capital to entrepreneurial ventures—resources that could matter as much as the degree itself. But similar programs nationally produce fairly modest first-year earnings, which raises questions about whether launching a business straight out of college (versus gaining experience first) is the typical path for these graduates.

The practical reality: if your child plans to start their own venture immediately, that $45,000 estimate may not reflect actual income during lean startup years. If they're joining an existing small business or taking a conventional business role first, the debt load seems reasonable. Just recognize you're betting on a program without its own track record to evaluate.