International Business at Sam Houston State University

Sam Houston State's international business program starts graduates at just $35,116—well below both the state median of $41,911 and the national median of $49,890. While there's meaningful earnings growth to $49,600 by year four, that trajectory still leaves graduates trailing most peers, ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally and 25th percentile within Texas. For context, comparable Texas programs at UT Arlington and Texas A&M San Antonio place graduates $10,000-$15,000 ahead even in early career years.

The debt load of $21,000 is reasonable, producing a manageable 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio that graduates can typically handle. However, the fundamental challenge is the starting salary itself. When other international business programs in Texas routinely launch graduates into the low-to-mid $40,000s, beginning at $35,000 creates a significant earnings gap that compounds over time.

Important caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, which means one or two outliers could skew the picture significantly. But taken at face value, this program appears to underperform its Texas peers substantially. For a student interested in international business, stronger options exist within the state system—programs that deliver similar debt with notably higher earning potential from day one.