Business Administration, Management and Operations at Missouri Southern State University

Similar business programs across Missouri typically produce first-year earnings around $42,500—right where this program lands based on state benchmarks. With estimated debt of $25,000, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 sits in manageable territory, suggesting graduates could theoretically pay off their loans within a year if they devoted about 60% of gross income to debt. That's a workable starting point, though it won't rival what specialized business programs at places like Ranken Technical College deliver (where graduates average $73,200).

The challenge here is uncertainty. Because Missouri Southern's graduate sample was too small for the DOE to publish actual outcomes, we're relying on what similar programs across the state achieve. Missouri Southern's 97% admission rate and broad accessibility serve a different student population than some higher-earning competitors, which could mean actual outcomes vary from these estimates. The $25,000 debt figure—below the national median for business degrees—keeps the financial risk contained even if earnings disappoint.

For parents weighing this program, the estimated numbers suggest reasonable value if your student needs an accessible path to a business degree in southwest Missouri. But without knowing this specific program's actual track record, expect something closer to typical Missouri business outcomes rather than the standout results from the state's top-performing programs. The low debt load provides a cushion if reality falls short of estimates.