Business Administration, Management and Operations at Johnson & Wales University-Providence

Johnson & Wales University-Providence's business program underperforms both state and national benchmarks by a significant margin. With first-year earnings of $39,917, graduates earn about $7,000 less than the typical Rhode Island business graduate and nearly $6,000 below the national median. This places the program in just the 25th percentile both nationally and within Rhode Island—meaning 75% of comparable programs produce better-earning graduates.

The debt picture offers some relief, with $27,000 being reasonable and creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. Earnings do grow a solid 21% over four years to $48,362, but this still trails what graduates from Bryant University ($65,045) or URI ($55,160) earn right out of the gate. Even regional competitors like New England Institute of Technology significantly outpace Johnson & Wales' four-year earnings in their first year.

For families considering this program, the core issue isn't crushing debt but underwhelming earnings potential relative to other Rhode Island options. Unless your child has specific reasons to attend Johnson & Wales (perhaps their culinary reputation carries over, or they offer unique concentrations), the in-state alternatives deliver substantially better financial outcomes. Given Rhode Island's small size, exploring URI or even private options like Bryant could provide much stronger returns on the same educational investment.