Business Administration, Management and Operations at Murray State College

Murray State College's Business Administration program shows first-year graduates earning $36,734—above both the Oklahoma median ($33,084) and national average ($33,977), landing in the 60th percentile statewide. The debt load of $12,750 is manageable relative to that initial salary. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with more data, so consider them a directional indicator rather than a guarantee.

The troubling pattern here is what happens after that first year: earnings drop to $29,344 by year four, a 20% decline that's unusual for any degree program. This could reflect graduates moving from full-time to part-time work, changing career paths, or taking time out of the workforce—but with such limited data, it's impossible to know what's driving this trend. What we can say is that among comparable Oklahoma programs, Murray State performs solidly in that initial year but doesn't match the stronger outcomes at Northern Oklahoma College or Cameron University.

For an associate's degree that costs under $13,000, the immediate return looks reasonable if your child can secure one of those higher-earning first-year positions. But given the earnings decline and data uncertainty, treat this as a low-cost option worth considering only if your student has a clear plan for leveraging the degree quickly—or using it as a stepping stone to a bachelor's program where the economics typically improve.