Business Administration, Management and Operations at Livingstone College

Starting at under $26,000 annually, Livingstone College business graduates earn less than half what the typical North Carolina business major makes ($43,375 state median). These numbers place the program in the bottom 10% statewide and bottom 5% nationally—a particularly stark gap given that North Carolina hosts highly-ranked business programs like UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State. While the $33,000 debt load sits near state averages, it translates to a troubling 1.28 debt-to-income ratio when matched against first-year earnings that barely exceed $25,000.

The 20% earnings growth to $30,819 by year four offers limited consolation. Even with this improvement, graduates remain far behind their peers from other NC programs, many of whom start their careers earning what Livingstone graduates might achieve mid-career. The college's 84% Pell grant rate indicates it serves a predominantly low-income student population who may have few alternative pathways—but that context doesn't change the economic reality these numbers present.

For families considering this program, the central question is whether a business degree that consistently underperforms state and national benchmarks justifies taking on debt that exceeds a full year's starting salary. The earnings trajectory suggests limited career momentum even years after graduation, which makes this investment difficult to recommend when North Carolina offers numerous business programs with substantially stronger outcomes at similar debt levels.