Educational Administration and Supervision at Ohio State University-Main Campus

Ohio State's educational administration bachelor's degree sits right at the state median for earnings but falls short of national expectations, landing at just the 25th percentile nationally. That state ranking of 60th percentile is misleading—it's actually tied with four other Ohio State campuses at the exact same earnings figure, suggesting these numbers might reflect OSU's institutional pay scales rather than distinct program outcomes. More concerning: graduates earn less four years out ($35,856) than they did immediately after graduation, a rare negative trajectory that questions the degree's career progression potential.

The $23,000 debt load is at least manageable and well below the national median for this program, making the initial debt-to-earnings ratio reasonable at 0.63. But that modest advantage gets undermined by stagnant earnings. For context, Cleveland State graduates in this field start higher ($38,766) and presumably maintain better growth trajectories. Educational administration typically requires graduate degrees for advancement into principal or superintendent roles, which may explain why this bachelor's degree shows limited upward mobility on its own.

If your student is committed to educational leadership, understand this is likely a stepping stone degree requiring further education for meaningful career advancement. The relatively low debt makes it feasible as part of a longer educational pathway, but as a standalone bachelor's degree, it underperforms comparable programs and shows troubling signs of early earnings stagnation.