Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

The numbers tell a stark story: SIU-Carbondale's Management Sciences graduates start at $42,711—about $6,000 below Illinois's median for this program and a full $20,000 behind the national benchmark. While ranking at the 40th percentile within Illinois might sound middle-of-the-pack, it means half of the state's programs deliver significantly better outcomes, with top Illinois schools like North Central and U of I placing graduates at nearly double SIU-C's starting salary.

The $27,000 debt load is actually higher than both state and national medians for this degree, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That's manageable on paper, but when your starting salary sits in the bottom 5% nationally, you'll feel every dollar of that debt more acutely than graduates from stronger programs. The 28% earnings growth to $54,553 by year four helps, but even that improved figure barely reaches Illinois's typical *starting* salary for this major.

For an accessible state school serving many Pell Grant students, SIU-Carbondale fills an important role. But parents should know their student will likely start behind peers from other Illinois programs—including several mid-tier privates—and may struggle to close that gap. If affordability is the priority and your student needs the open admission policy, ensure they're prepared to hustle for competitive internships and networking opportunities that the degree itself may not automatically provide.