Finance and Financial Management Services at Saint Ambrose University

Saint Ambrose's finance program produces first-year earnings of $56,275, placing graduates above both state and national medians—a solid outcome that suggests the program is competitive with Iowa's public universities. Based on debt patterns from similar bachelor's programs at Saint Ambrose, graduates likely carry around $25,250 in loans, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45. This means a graduate would owe roughly 45 cents for every dollar earned in their first year, well within the threshold most financial aid experts consider sustainable.

The challenge is that earnings growth appears modest. Four years out, the median rises to $61,730—just 10% above the starting salary. While this keeps pace with similar programs statewide, it falls short of what top Iowa finance programs deliver. Drake and University of Iowa graduates earn notably more, though they may also carry different debt loads. The lack of actual debt data for this specific program makes it harder to know whether Saint Ambrose's personalized approach (reflected in its 73% admission rate) translates into better financial aid outcomes than peer schools.

For families, the practical question is whether above-average starting salaries justify the estimated debt load given the moderate earnings trajectory. The numbers suggest a reasonable return on investment, but without actual debt figures for Saint Ambrose finance graduates specifically, you're making an educated guess based on broader institutional patterns rather than program-specific outcomes.