Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of Central Arkansas

University of Central Arkansas graduates in this business program earn slightly below Arkansas's median of $39,040, landing at the 40th percentile among the state's 21 business programs. The $38,995 starting salary lags behind nearby options like Arkansas Tech ($39,866) and falls far short of the University of Arkansas at $56,456. More concerning, these graduates rank in just the 21st percentile nationally, earning about $6,700 less than the typical business graduate across the country.

The debt picture offers a partial offset. At $20,500, graduates here borrow about $4,000 less than the state median and $5,500 less than the national benchmark. This creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53—meaning the debt equals roughly six months of salary. Earnings also show steady growth, reaching $44,687 by year four, a respectable 15% increase. Still, even with this trajectory, graduates remain well below what they'd likely earn from more competitive Arkansas programs.

For cost-conscious families, UCA delivers a business degree without crushing debt. But the earnings gap is real and persistent. If your child can gain admission to Arkansas's flagship or even Arkansas Tech, the higher starting salaries would likely justify the modest additional borrowing. UCA makes sense primarily if affordability trumps all other factors or if your student needs the accessibility of a 90% acceptance rate.