Business Administration, Management and Operations at The University of Texas at El Paso

UTEP's business program graduates students with remarkably low debt—just $16,437, which places it in the 95th percentile nationally for affordability. For families concerned about student loan burden, this is a significant advantage. However, the earnings tell a more complicated story: at $37,140 initially and $39,914 after four years, graduates earn about $4,000-$6,000 less than the typical Texas business graduate and lag considerably behind the national median of $45,703.

The institution serves a distinctive population, with 61% of students receiving Pell grants and open admissions, suggesting many students wouldn't otherwise access four-year business degrees. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 is actually quite manageable—graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in under six months of gross earnings. That's a better position than many programs deliver, even if absolute earnings aren't impressive.

The practical calculus here: your child gets a business degree for roughly half the debt of the typical program while earning 85-90% of what peers make elsewhere in Texas. For families prioritizing minimal debt and serving the El Paso regional economy, that tradeoff works. But if maximum earning potential matters most and your child can access higher-ranked programs like UT Austin (where graduates earn $66,289), the earnings gap of nearly $27,000 annually becomes harder to justify, even with the debt savings.