Business Administration, Management and Operations at Lakeland University

Lakeland graduates earn more than typical business majors at Wisconsin schools—$53,132 versus the state median of $52,521—while carrying just marginally more debt. That's a solid outcome from an accessible private college with a 91% admission rate, placing this program in the 76th percentile nationally and 60th within Wisconsin. The debt load of $28,156 translates to about half the first-year salary, a manageable starting point that beats most programs in the state.

The concerning element here is the complete stagnation: earnings stay virtually flat between year one and year four. While graduates start ahead of peers at many Wisconsin schools, they're making $14,500 less than UW-Madison grads and $10,000 less than Marquette grads four years out. That gap suggests either a ceiling on advancement opportunities or roles that don't reward experience with significant raises. For business majors, whose careers typically gain momentum in those early years, this plateau matters.

For families weighing the private college premium, Lakeland delivers decent starting earnings without crushing debt, but you're not seeing the career trajectory that justifies paying significantly more than UW system schools. If your child needs the smaller environment and higher acceptance rate, the numbers work. But if they can get into Madison or even Oshkosh, those options promise both better starting points and actual earnings growth.