Business, Management, Marketing, at Holy Family University

Holy Family's business program faces a significant challenge: based on comparable Pennsylvania programs, graduates can expect first-year earnings around $36,000—nearly $15,000 below the national median for business bachelor's degrees. At $27,000 in estimated debt, this translates to owing roughly nine months of gross income, which is manageable on paper but becomes tighter when you're earning $14,000 less annually than business grads at similar institutions nationwide.

The economic reality here is particularly stark for a Philadelphia-area school. While the estimated debt load sits right at Pennsylvania's median for business programs, the earnings figure represents the lower end of what state programs typically produce. Business degrees are often pursued as practical career investments, but this earnings-to-debt ratio only works if you're confident about landing steady employment quickly and can live frugally while building your career foundation.

For families weighing this investment, the key question is whether Holy Family offers specific advantages—strong local employer connections, specialized business tracks, or networking opportunities—that could boost outcomes beyond what these peer-program estimates suggest. Without such differentiators, you're looking at paying typical debt for below-typical returns in a field where the degree's value largely depends on opening doors to well-paying first jobs.