Business, Management, Marketing, at Loyola University Chicago

A first-year salary around $51,000—what comparable business programs nationally tend to produce—paired with $24,635 in debt creates a workable debt burden at Loyola Chicago. The estimated 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would owe roughly half their expected annual income, a level that should allow for manageable monthly payments while building a career in business.

The challenge is that these earnings figures aren't specific to Loyola's actual outcomes but derived from national peer programs. In Illinois, business programs show considerable range, with Benedictine's graduates earning $56,000 versus Saint Xavier's $48,500. Where Loyola falls in that spectrum for its own students remains unclear. The school's 81% admission rate and solid SAT scores suggest a competitive student body, but without reported data, it's impossible to know if Loyola's Chicago location, Jesuit network, or specific curriculum translates to better opportunities than the national average suggests.

What tips the scales is the debt position—at $24,635, it sits slightly below both Illinois and national medians for business degrees. Even if earnings land on the lower end of similar programs, that relatively contained borrowing provides breathing room. Your child would likely face affordable loan payments, though counting on anything beyond typical business program outcomes would be speculative without seeing Loyola's actual graduate data.