Finance and Financial Management Services at Southwestern College

A finance degree from Southwestern College appears to lead to earnings around $50,000—the median for Kansas finance programs but trailing the national benchmark of roughly $54,000. Based on comparable programs at similar private schools, graduates here likely carry about $26,000 in debt, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52. That's manageable by conventional standards, though the estimated debt load runs slightly above what most finance graduates nationally take on.

The challenge is that Kansas finance programs cluster closely together, with Southwestern's estimated outcomes sitting at the bottom of the pack. Benedictine College and the University of Kansas place their graduates at nearly $58,000—about $8,000 more annually—while even regional state universities like Pittsburg State edge out Southwestern by a bit. That gap matters when you're paying private school prices. With 39% of students receiving Pell grants, the school serves a significant number of families for whom that earnings difference could be consequential.

The upside is that finance remains a practical major with clear career pathways, and the debt burden here shouldn't be crushing. But since these figures are extrapolated from peer programs rather than actual graduate outcomes, you're essentially betting that Southwestern performs at least as well as the Kansas average. If your child is serious about finance, compare what you'd actually pay here versus the state universities showing stronger placement—sometimes the "safer" option is the one with a longer track record.