Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at University of Illinois Chicago

UIC's Management Sciences program starts graduates at $45,665—nearly $17,000 below the state median and among the lowest earnings in Illinois for this degree. While the program ranks at the 40th percentile statewide (essentially middle-of-the-pack for Illinois), it falls to just the 11th percentile nationally, with graduates earning about $16,000 less than the national median. Compare this to top Illinois programs like North Central ($85,168) or even in-state flagship UIUC ($72,527), and the earnings gap becomes stark for a field that typically commands strong salaries.

The silver lining is manageable debt: at $17,750, students borrow roughly $7,000 less than the state median and $5,500 below the national median for this program. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 means graduates can theoretically pay off loans in less than a year if they dedicate all first-year earnings—a reasonable position. Earnings do climb 18% to $53,738 by year four, though this still trails peer programs significantly.

For families considering this program, the question is whether UIC's lower tuition justifies substantially lower career earnings. With half of students on Pell grants, the affordability matters. But in a field where analytics and operations roles should command premium salaries, starting in the bottom fifth nationally suggests either curriculum gaps or employer perception issues. Students serious about management sciences might find better ROI at UIUC or even private alternatives that justify higher sticker prices with significantly stronger placement outcomes.