Business Administration, Management and Operations at Union Adventist University

Union Adventist's business program starts graduates at $44,045—below both the Nebraska median ($47,476) and the national benchmark ($45,703) for this degree. Based on comparable programs at similar Nebraska institutions, graduates here likely carry about $27,000 in debt, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. That's manageable on paper, but the context matters: students at Bellevue University's business program earn nearly $17,000 more in their first year, and even the state's public universities deliver stronger immediate returns.

The 34% earnings growth to nearly $59,000 by year four suggests the degree does build value over time. Yet this trajectory still lags what graduates from stronger programs start with immediately. For a school with open admission serving a relatively modest Pell-eligible population (24%), these outcomes aren't shocking, but parents should recognize they're paying private-school tuition for results that trail both state and national averages.

The estimated debt here is typical for Nebraska business degrees, which keeps this from being a clear warning sign. But the earnings gap is real—Union Adventist sits at the 40th percentile statewide, meaning six in ten Nebraska business programs deliver better first-year outcomes. If your child has admission options at Nebraska's public universities or Bellevue, the data strongly favors those alternatives. If Union Adventist offers unique fit factors like faith-based education or smaller class sizes, quantify what those are worth to your family against the $10,000+ earnings difference.