Business Administration, Management and Operations at Saint Mary's College of California

California's business programs produce wildly different outcomes, with top schools like UC Berkeley launching graduates at $90,000 while others cluster near $50,000. Saint Mary's appears to land in the middle tier based on similar programs statewide. The estimated $49,543 first-year salary matches the California median exactly, suggesting this program performs about average for the state—though it trails the elite private schools considerably. With an estimated $25,000 in debt, the financial picture looks manageable: the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50 means graduates would dedicate roughly half their first-year salary to loans, which is workable if not spectacular.

The catch is that none of these figures come from Saint Mary's actual graduates. The Department of Education suppresses data when sample sizes are too small, so we're looking at estimates drawn from peer programs across California. This could mean the graduating class is genuinely tiny, or that tracking outcomes proved difficult. Either way, prospective students can't see what this specific program has actually delivered. The 89% admission rate and relatively low Pell enrollment (24%) suggest Saint Mary's serves a fairly selective, middle-class student body, which often correlates with decent career networks and support.

For parents, the key question is whether you're comfortable betting $25,000 on estimated outcomes rather than proven track records. If your student is drawn to Saint Mary's for fit or location, the numbers don't scream danger—but they also don't provide the confidence that actual graduate data would.