Business Administration, Management and Operations at Houghton University

Starting at $39,400, Houghton business graduates earn about $6,000 less than the typical New York business major and trail the national median by even more. While the program lands at the 40th percentile within New York—solidly middle-of-the-pack for the state—it falls to just the 22nd percentile nationally, meaning roughly 80% of similar programs across the country produce higher-earning graduates. The modest debt load of $21,450 is the silver lining here, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio manageable at 0.54, though that's still higher than most parents would prefer for a business degree.

The real concern is competitive positioning. Elite New York programs like Manhattan College and Syracuse place graduates at salaries 65-180% higher, and even peer regional schools often do better. For a family paying private school tuition, these earnings create a long payback period before the degree generates meaningful returns. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few outlier career paths could skew these numbers either way, but the pattern is consistent enough to warrant attention.

If your child is set on Houghton for fit or mission reasons, understand you're likely prioritizing community and values over financial outcomes. For families primarily focused on return on investment, New York offers dozens of business programs with stronger earning potential at comparable or lower debt levels.