Finance and Financial Management Services at Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg State's finance program sits in an interesting middle ground within Kansas—outperforming the state median by $6,500 while landing squarely in the 60th percentile among Kansas finance programs. That means your child would earn more than most Kansas finance graduates, though the program trails the state's top-tier options by a meaningful margin. The debt load of $21,875 is actually lighter than both state and national averages, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio that works in graduates' favor.

The numbers tell a steady, if unspectacular, story: starting salaries around $50,000 grow to $56,500 after four years—solid progression but nothing that suggests exceptional upward mobility. Against national benchmarks, the program underperforms by about $3,000 annually, which matters if your child plans to compete in broader finance markets beyond Kansas. The university's 88% admission rate and modest test scores suggest this isn't a highly selective program, which may explain why it performs better regionally than nationally.

One critical caveat: the sample size here is very small, meaning these figures could shift considerably year to year. For a family prioritizing manageable debt and keeping their child in Kansas, this represents reasonable value—especially compared to pricier in-state alternatives. But if your child has stronger credentials or ambitions for competitive finance markets, the $4,000+ earnings gap with Kansas's top programs compounds significantly over a career.