Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at Lenoir-Rhyne University

A $45,534 starting salary puts Lenoir-Rhyne's quantitative methods graduates well behind both state and national benchmarks—landing at the 10th percentile nationally while the typical program produces $62,000 earners. Even within North Carolina's smaller market, where the median sits at $51,384, this program underperforms by $6,000. Graduates from Appalachian State and UNC Charlotte are entering the workforce with roughly $10,000 more in earning power, which compounds significantly over a career.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $27,000, it's slightly higher than state and national norms but remains manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59. Still, that's cold comfort when peers at other NC schools are carrying similar debt loads while earning substantially more. The 40% Pell Grant population suggests this serves students who may have fewer financial safety nets, making the earnings gap more consequential.

The critical caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means a handful of career outcomes could skew these numbers dramatically. However, even accounting for volatility, there's a notable gap between what comparable programs deliver and what students here are experiencing. For families considering this path, the combination of below-market earnings and typical debt creates a harder financial equation than most quantitative methods programs in the state.