Finance and Financial Management Services at Lasell University

Lasell's finance program places graduates nearly $10,000 below the Massachusetts median for finance majors, landing in just the 25th percentile statewide—a significant gap in a state where finance typically pays well. First-year earnings of $44,481 trail not only flagship UMass-Amherst by $24,000, but also lag the national median by over $9,000. In a field where early career momentum matters, starting this far behind peers becomes harder to overcome.

The debt load of $26,500 sits right at the state median, which sounds reasonable until you consider the earnings deficit. That 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but finance graduates at comparable Massachusetts schools typically earn enough to make similar debt loads feel more manageable. The program does keep roughly 35% of students debt-free, which provides some cushion for families who can afford to pay out of pocket.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably. However, the pattern is concerning enough that families should seriously explore why Lasell's finance graduates start so far below both state and national benchmarks. Unless there are strong non-monetary reasons to choose Lasell—specific faculty connections, location preferences, or confidence your student will significantly outperform these medians—Massachusetts offers multiple finance programs with substantially better earning trajectories at similar or lower debt levels.