Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of Holy Cross

Louisiana business graduates face a challenging starting point, and comparable programs in the state suggest Holy Cross students begin around $38,500—roughly $7,000 below the national median for business bachelor's degrees. That gap matters when you're managing $27,000 in estimated debt, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. While that ratio sits near the manageable range, the absolute numbers tell a tougher story: it would take about eight months of gross income just to cover the debt, assuming no living expenses.

The comparison to Louisiana's top performers is stark. Tulane business grads start at $61,000, while even regional public universities like McNeese and Louisiana Tech place graduates $4,000-$6,000 higher than Holy Cross's peer-program benchmark. Given Holy Cross's 99% admission rate and relatively modest Pell grant participation (28%), these estimates suggest the school isn't converting access into strong early-career positioning for business majors.

For a parent weighing this investment, the concern isn't the debt level itself—it's below both state and national medians—but rather the earning power that debt buys. If your student has options at Louisiana's public universities or can access Tulane, those programs demonstrate materially better employment outcomes. If Holy Cross is the choice for location or fit reasons, enter with clear expectations about the likely first-year salary and a concrete plan for career services engagement to beat these peer-program benchmarks.