Business Administration, Management and Operations at Mars Hill University

Mars Hill's business program sits in an uncomfortable middle ground: the debt load is about average for North Carolina business degrees, but starting salaries lag significantly behind. At $37,725 in year one, graduates earn roughly $5,650 less than the typical NC business graduate and nearly $8,000 below the national median. While the program ranks at the 40th percentile within North Carolina—meaning it outperforms many smaller private schools—it falls well short of what public universities like NC State ($56,877) or UNC-Chapel Hill ($85,618) deliver for often lower tuition costs.

The 0.73 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but it means graduates start with debt equal to almost nine months of their first-year salary. Earnings do grow 13% by year four, reaching $42,659, yet this still leaves graduates earning less than most North Carolina business majors make right out of college. For families paying private school tuition, these outcomes raise questions about return on investment, especially when in-state public options exist.

The clearest path to value here is if Mars Hill offers substantial merit aid or financial packages that bring actual debt well below the $27,506 median. Without that discount, families should carefully weigh whether the small-school experience justifies earning potential that trails both state and national benchmarks by meaningful margins.