Business Administration, Management and Operations at Lees-McRae College

Lees-McRae's business program shows concerning early outcomes but a puzzling recovery trajectory. Graduates start at just $33,292—ranking in the 5th percentile nationally and 25th within North Carolina—yet somehow reach $53,864 by year four. That 62% earnings jump is remarkable, but with a sample size under 30 students, these numbers could easily reflect a few outliers rather than a reliable pattern.

The $18,500 debt load offers one silver lining: it's roughly $8,000 below typical North Carolina business programs and among the lowest nationally (5th percentile for debt). That modest borrowing cushions the blow of weak starting salaries, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 that's manageable despite the rocky launch. Still, when UNC-Chapel Hill business grads start at $85,618 and even mid-tier programs like University of Mount Olive produce $48,751 first-year earners, the 37% of Lees-McRae students on Pell grants face a steep initial disadvantage in the job market.

The small sample size makes this particularly risky. If those strong year-four numbers represent just a handful of successful graduates while others struggle, you're gambling on outlier outcomes. For families without financial cushion to weather that $33,000 starting salary, North Carolina offers dozens of business programs with more predictable early earnings—even if it means taking on slightly more debt.