Business Administration, Management and Operations at Rasmussen University-North Dakota

Rasmussen's business administration program lands graduates at nearly $60,000 in their first year—well above the national median of $45,700 and beating 95% of similar programs nationwide. But in North Dakota's business education landscape, that performance looks less exceptional. The program sits at the 60th percentile statewide, trailing schools like University of Mary by just slightly, while carrying $37,315 in median debt—roughly $11,000 more than the state median for business programs.

The earnings picture raises questions: instead of growing, graduate salaries dip to $56,566 by year four. With nearly half of students receiving Pell grants, that $37,000 debt load represents a substantial burden even with solid starting salaries. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 is manageable but not comfortable, especially given the backward earnings trajectory.

For North Dakota families, this comes down to tuition costs. If you're paying close to public university rates, programs like University of Mary or UND offer similar or better outcomes with comparable debt. But if Rasmussen's flexible scheduling or accelerated format fits your child's situation, those first-year earnings do provide a reasonable foundation for debt repayment—just don't expect significant salary growth in those crucial early career years.