Business, Management, Marketing, at Multnomah University

A business degree from Multnomah University comes with estimated debt of $26,500—slightly above the national median for these programs—but peer programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $50,740. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 sits in reasonable territory, though parents should note these figures come from comparable business programs across the country, not Multnomah's specific graduates. The real question is whether this private Christian university's business program can deliver on that national earnings benchmark, especially when Oregon's business graduates typically earn far less—just $37,585 at Portland State, the only state program with reported data.

That gap matters more than it might seem. If Multnomah's graduates land closer to the Oregon median than the national one, you're looking at debt that would take nearly a year of gross income to repay rather than six months. With 47% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here don't have cushion for that kind of miscalculation. The school's 50% admission rate suggests it's reasonably accessible, but accessibility means little if the degree doesn't lead to competitive wages in Oregon's job market.

The smartest move? Contact Multnomah's career services directly and ask for actual placement data—where recent business graduates work and what they earn in their first jobs. If the school can't provide concrete outcomes for its own graduates, that tells you something important about whether this $26,500 investment is likely to pay off.