Business Administration, Management and Operations at Muskingum University

Muskingum's business program lands squarely in the middle of the pack—and that's actually a problem when debt levels match more competitive programs. While graduates leave with manageable debt of around $27,000, first-year earnings of $45,088 barely clear the national median and fall below the state average. More concerning: this places in just the 40th percentile among Ohio business programs, meaning six out of ten comparable programs in the state deliver better starting salaries for similar debt loads.

The 22% earnings growth to $55,105 by year four is solid and suggests graduates do build their careers successfully. However, even after four years, alumni earn roughly $6,000 less annually than what first-year graduates from Ohio State or Bowling Green command. For context, Miami University graduates start at $68,000—more than Muskingum grads earn after four years of career building. The 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't alarming, but it doesn't reflect particularly strong value when peers achieve better outcomes.

For families choosing between Ohio business programs, this comes down to fit and price. If your student receives substantial aid that brings net cost well below sticker price, Muskingum's accessible environment (82% admission rate, strong Pell access) could work. But at comparable costs, the state's public universities deliver meaningfully better financial returns. Run the numbers carefully with actual net price—don't assume private automatically means better outcomes.