Business Administration, Management and Operations at LeTourneau University

LeTourneau's business program punches well above its weight class, landing graduates in the 95th percentile nationally with first-year earnings of $65,144—over $20,000 more than the typical business grad. In Texas, this places them in the 80th percentile, trailing only powerhouses like TCU and UT Austin despite LeTourneau's far smaller profile. The debt load of $39,668 is higher than average but remains manageable with a 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off loans in about 7-8 months of pre-tax income.

The concerning element is the earnings trajectory: salaries actually decline slightly to $63,561 by year four, suggesting graduates may be landing well-paying first jobs that don't necessarily translate into strong career progression. This pattern is unusual for business majors and worth investigating—it could reflect the types of industries or roles LeTourneau grads enter, or simply be statistical noise given the moderate sample size.

For families weighing this against state flagship options, the value proposition is solid. You're paying a premium over typical in-state tuition, but your child starts ahead of 80% of Texas business grads right out of the gate. Just recognize you're buying strong launch outcomes, not necessarily a program with proven long-term trajectory data.