Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of California-Merced

UC Merced's business program delivers remarkably low debt—$16,000 puts it in the 95th percentile nationally—but earnings lag behind most California competitors. Starting at $46,378, graduates earn about $3,000 less than the state median for business programs, placing this in just the 40th percentile among California schools. That gap matters in a state where top programs like Cal Poly SLO or USC launch graduates at $70,000+.

The tradeoff becomes clearer when you consider total cost of attendance. With 59% of students receiving Pell grants, many here qualify for substantial financial aid at a UC school, which helps explain the low debt burden. The 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than 5 months of salary—manageable by any standard. Earnings also grow steadily, reaching $55,000 by year four, which narrows the gap with peers somewhat.

For families prioritizing affordability and the UC brand, this works. You're getting a legitimate public university education without the debt that typically comes with business degrees. But if maximizing early career earnings matters more—especially in California's expensive housing market—stronger in-state alternatives exist at comparable public tuition rates. The question is whether saving $5,000-10,000 in debt is worth potentially earning $5,000-10,000 less per year out of the gate.