General Sales, Merchandising at Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State's sales and merchandising graduates earn $72,000 right out of college—63% more than the typical graduate from this program nationally and nearly double what other Georgia sales programs produce. That 95th percentile state ranking isn't a fluke; it reflects strong connections to Atlanta's corporate corridor, where companies like Home Depot and UPS maintain major operations. The $20,750 in median debt translates to payments that would consume just 3-4% of a graduate's starting salary, making this one of the more financially comfortable pathways in business education.

The trajectory looks solid too, with earnings climbing to $77,000 by year four. While that 7% growth isn't spectacular, it's happening from an already-strong base. Georgia State's comparable program produces half the starting salary at $16,682, suggesting Kennesaw has either cultivated better employer relationships or structured its curriculum more strategically around high-value sales roles in technology and corporate services rather than retail management.

For parents worried about business degree saturation, this program cuts through the noise. Your child would graduate with modest debt and earnings that immediately exceed what most business majors make several years into their careers. The key question is whether they're genuinely interested in sales careers—because that's where these connections and outcomes matter most.