Business/Commerce at McMurry University

McMurry's business graduates earn $43,340 in their first year—below both the Texas median ($45,899) and national average ($47,506) for this major. More concerning is the debt load: at $32,321, it exceeds both state and national norms by roughly $7,000. That 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but it means graduates carry debt equal to nine months of their first-year salary. Within Texas, this program sits at the 40th percentile, meaning 60% of the state's business programs deliver stronger earnings.

The gap between McMurry and Texas's stronger business schools is substantial. UT Austin grads earn more than double, while even mid-tier options like University of Houston-Clear Lake pay 30% more. For a family paying private school tuition at McMurry, that earnings differential is worth calculating against the actual cost difference after financial aid.

The major caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means one or two outliers could skew these numbers significantly. Still, the pattern of below-average earnings combined with above-average debt should prompt serious questions about net cost after aid. If McMurry's financial aid package makes the actual out-of-pocket expense competitive with public universities, the investment calculates differently than sticker price suggests. Without that aid advantage, though, Texas families have access to business programs that deliver stronger earnings with less debt.