Business Administration, Management and Operations at Rivier University

Rivier's business management program starts graduates at $39,453—roughly $6,000 below the state median and $9,200 below the typical New Hampshire business grad. That gap is meaningful when you consider students here carry $27,000 in debt, which takes 68% of their first year's salary to match. Among the nine business programs in New Hampshire, this ranks in just the 25th percentile for earnings.

The encouraging news is the trajectory: earnings jump 53% by year four to reach $60,484, which actually exceeds what graduates from Southern New Hampshire and UNH are making at the same point. The debt load itself is right at state and national medians, so the challenge is entirely about that weak initial salary. With Rivier's 82% acceptance rate, this appears to be a program that develops students over time rather than launching them into immediate high-paying roles.

For families weighing this option, understand you're looking at a financially tight first few years—your child will likely need support or very careful budgeting while that degree proves its value. If they can weather that initial period, the mid-career prospects look substantially better. But if strong starting earnings matter (say, for quickly managing loan payments), the state's flagship programs offer a more reliable entry point.