Business, Management, Marketing, at Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University's business program reports exceptional numbers—$80,842 in first-year earnings against just $15,697 in debt—but the small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these figures unreliable for drawing firm conclusions. It's worth noting that SNHU is the only school reporting data for this program in New Hampshire, so state comparisons aren't meaningful here. What we can say is that if these numbers hold, they would represent extraordinary outcomes: earnings 59% above the national median for business degrees and debt roughly 40% below typical levels.

The 0.19 debt-to-earnings ratio would be excellent by any standard, suggesting graduates could comfortably pay off loans even on compressed timelines. However, SNHU's 96% admission rate and substantial Pell grant population (47%) make these reported earnings surprising—schools with open enrollment don't typically produce graduates earning in the 95th percentile nationally. This disconnect raises questions about whether the small sample is capturing a representative group or just particularly successful outliers.

For an anxious parent, here's the bottom line: these statistics look too good to be true, and they might be. The tiny sample means a handful of exceptional graduates—perhaps students who transferred in credits, had prior work experience, or landed unusual opportunities—could be skewing the data dramatically. Don't bet your child's future on numbers this statistically fragile. Look instead at the broader pattern of SNHU graduate outcomes and speak with recent alumni directly about their post-graduation experiences.