Business Administration, Management and Operations at St. John's University-New York

St. John's business graduates start significantly behind their peers—earning $38,550 in year one puts them in just the 19th percentile nationally—but the picture improves considerably with time. By year four, earnings jump 40% to $54,038, landing graduates solidly above both the national median ($45,703) and New York state median ($42,268). This delayed payoff pattern suggests the program may lack the corporate recruiting pipelines that send graduates directly into higher-paying entry-level roles.

Within New York's competitive business program landscape, St. John's sits in the middle of the pack at the 40th percentile. While it can't compete with Manhattan University's $113,777 or even Syracuse's $65,009, it performs respectably among the state's 94 programs. The $26,121 in median debt is reasonable and essentially matches national and state norms, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68—though that's calculated against the weaker first-year number.

For parents, this represents a slow-build proposition rather than immediate return on investment. If your child can weather a modest starting salary and has the networking skills or graduate school plans to capitalize on the St. John's brand over time, the trajectory is promising. But families expecting their graduate to land a $60,000 corporate position right out of college should understand that's not the typical outcome here.