Business Administration, Management and Operations at Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga

A debt load matching your first year's salary tells you something important: similar business programs nationally carry just $26,000 in typical debt—nearly half what graduates here face. While first-year earnings around $43,000 align with Tennessee's median for business degrees, that estimated $42,829 debt burden creates a financial strain that peers at other schools simply don't experience. The four-year earnings figure of $37,437—an actual reported outcome—raises questions about whether salaries here grow as expected or even decline, which would make that debt even harder to manage.

With 85% of students receiving Pell grants, this program serves families who can least afford a shaky return. Tennessee offers 38 business bachelor's programs, including several where graduates earn $52,000 to $59,000 within the first year. For a family weighing Miller-Motte's business program against alternatives, the math is straightforward: comparable debt-to-earnings ratios elsewhere come with either lower debt or higher earnings—usually both.

Before committing, get concrete answers about why debt runs so high here and what explains the four-year earnings drop. This degree could work for students with strong local employment connections or specific career plans, but the estimated figures suggest most families would find better value at Tennessee public universities or established private colleges where business graduates consistently out-earn their debt from day one.