Business Administration, Management and Operations at Rasmussen University-Wisconsin

Rasmussen's business administration program delivers surprisingly strong earnings—$43,736 in the first year places it in the 92nd percentile nationally—but you're paying about $9,000 more in debt than the Wisconsin median to get there. That's the core tradeoff here: premium performance at a premium price.

The program slots in around 60th percentile among Wisconsin business programs, meaning you'll find similar or slightly better outcomes at several technical colleges (Mid-State and Moraine Park both top $46,000) with substantially lower debt loads. Those Wisconsin technical colleges typically carry debt in the $16,000 range versus Rasmussen's $25,555. Still, Rasmussen's outcomes beat 24 other Wisconsin schools, and the 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable—your grad will earn nearly twice their debt in year one.

The modest 3% earnings growth over four years suggests early income stability rather than dramatic career advancement, which is fairly typical for associate-level business roles. Given that 57% of students receive Pell grants, the higher debt burden matters: these aren't families with deep pockets to cover the difference. If your student can access one of Wisconsin's stronger technical college programs, you'll likely get comparable outcomes with less financial strain. But if Rasmussen's schedule flexibility or location makes it the only realistic option, the employment outcomes themselves are solid enough to justify the investment.