Business Administration, Management and Operations at Lane College

The numbers here are stark: Lane College's business graduates earn $22,093 in their first year—less than half the Tennessee median for this program and barely more than working minimum wage full-time. With nearly $36,000 in student debt, graduates face a debt burden 1.6 times their annual income, making this one of the worst debt-to-earnings ratios you'll find among Tennessee business programs. This ranks in the bottom 10th percentile statewide, meaning 90% of Tennessee business programs deliver better outcomes.

Context matters here. Lane serves a predominantly low-income student body (79% receive Pell grants), and these graduates are entering the workforce with less debt than many private schools charge. But even accounting for the institution's mission, the earnings gap is severe—top Tennessee programs like UT-Knoxville produce business graduates earning nearly triple what Lane graduates make initially. At these income levels, managing $36,000 in debt will consume a significant portion of take-home pay for years.

For families considering this program, understand that you're looking at entry-level retail or administrative assistant wages, not typical business graduate outcomes. Unless your child has specific circumstances making Lane the only viable option, Tennessee offers dozens of business programs with dramatically better financial returns at comparable or lower debt levels.