Business Administration, Management and Operations at Saint Leo University

Saint Leo's business administration associate's delivers first-year earnings nearly $7,000 above the Florida median and $12,000 above the national average—impressive on the surface. But the program's $34,300 debt load tells a different story. That's 70% higher than the typical Florida business associate's program and more than double the national median. Among Florida schools, you're getting 60th percentile earnings paired with debt that ranks in the worst 5% nationally.

The earnings trajectory makes this particularly concerning. Rather than growing their income, graduates actually see a 5% decline by year four, dropping to $43,383. That initial salary advantage starts to look less impressive when you're carrying debt that takes years to pay down. For context, Broward College and St. Petersburg College graduates earn comparable amounts but with significantly less debt burden.

This program charges premium prices for middle-tier results. Unless your child has compelling reasons to attend Saint Leo specifically—location, connections, or other non-financial factors—Florida's community colleges offer better financial value for an associate's in business. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 is manageable, but only if those earnings don't continue declining.