Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Southeastern Oklahoma State's Management Sciences program lands squarely in the middle for Oklahoma—literally at the 40th percentile among the state's five schools—but struggles nationally, ranking in just the 5th percentile. First-year graduates earn $44,959, which trails the national median for this degree by nearly $17,000. That's a significant gap for a field that typically promises strong quantitative skills and career prospects.

The silver lining here is debt. At $20,780, graduates carry about $9,000 less debt than the Oklahoma median and roughly $2,500 less than the national benchmark. The 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than half their first-year salary—manageable by most standards. For families prioritizing affordability at a regional university with an 80% acceptance rate, this keeps borrowing contained while students build foundational business analytics skills.

The real question is whether that earnings gap closes over time. Management sciences degrees often gain value as graduates accumulate industry experience and move into leadership roles. But starting $17,000 behind the national pack means this program needs to deliver strong alumni networks or specialized training to help graduates catch up. If your child plans to stay in Oklahoma and values keeping debt low, this works. For those targeting competitive analytics roles in major metros, stronger programs exist—even within the state's limited options.