Business Administration, Management and Operations at South University-Montgomery

South University-Montgomery graduates earn about $4,000 less than the national median for business management programs, but they're actually performing solidly within Alabama—ranking in the 60th percentile among state programs. The bigger issue here is debt. At $55,162, these students are borrowing more than double what their peers at other Alabama schools typically take on (state median: $29,563). That creates a 1.26 debt-to-earnings ratio that puts immediate financial pressure on graduates, who will likely face monthly payments near $600.

The program serves a predominantly low-income population (70% receive Pell grants) and delivers stable, if modest, earnings growth—reaching $48,439 by year four. However, when you compare this to Auburn ($56,948) or even Athens State ($49,436) with presumably lower debt loads, the value calculation becomes harder to justify. The earnings trajectory isn't the problem; the price tag is. For a business degree that leads to middle-management positions, entering the workforce with this much debt significantly limits your child's financial flexibility in their twenties.

If your student is considering this program, the key question is whether they can access more affordable alternatives. Community college transfer pathways or state universities would deliver similar career outcomes without the debt burden that makes this investment risky, even with steady employment prospects in Alabama's business sector.