Business/Commerce at Holy Cross College

Holy Cross College's business program produces a troubling outcome: graduates earn just $33,043 in their first year—landing in the bottom 10% of Indiana business programs and the bottom 5% nationally. That's $14,000 below the state median and $15,000 below the national average. Even with a 76% earnings increase by year four, graduates reach only $58,000, which barely catches up to where most business majors start. The $23,586 in median debt isn't catastrophic, but it represents 71% of first-year earnings, creating real financial strain during those critical early years when graduates should be establishing themselves.

The comparison to nearby institutions sharpens the concern. Just across Notre Dame Avenue, University of Notre Dame business graduates earn $73,000 right out of the gate. Even regional Indiana University campuses—serving similar student populations—produce first-year earnings 50-60% higher. This isn't about elite versus non-elite; it's about fundamental career outcomes that lag dramatically behind accessible alternatives.

For families considering this program at full cost, the math is difficult to justify. The strong earnings growth suggests graduates eventually find their footing, but those first few years—when debt payments hit hardest—will be financially precarious. Unless Holy Cross offers substantial financial aid that brings actual cost well below the debt figures here, Indiana families have better business program options that won't leave their children spending years catching up to where peers started.