Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of Illinois Springfield

UIS graduates start slightly below state and national benchmarks at $44,236, landing around the 40th percentile among Illinois business programs—but that's not the full story. By year four, earnings jump 27% to $56,368, outpacing many programs where business graduates plateau earlier. With manageable debt of $25,000 (below both state and national medians), graduates owe just over half their first-year salary, a ratio that improves significantly as earnings grow.

The reality check: this program sits firmly in the middle tier of Illinois business schools, trailing the flagship Urbana-Champaign campus by nearly $25,000 in starting earnings. However, the strong earnings trajectory suggests UIS graduates are building momentum rather than hitting an early ceiling. The modest debt load matters here—while peers at higher-ranked programs may earn more initially, they often carry substantially more debt, narrowing the net financial advantage.

For families weighing cost versus prestige, UIS offers a practical path: reasonable debt, steady earnings growth, and outcomes that align with state averages. If your child can secure admission to a higher-ranked Illinois program without taking on significantly more debt, that's worth pursuing. But if the alternative involves $40,000+ in loans at a private school, UIS's combination of affordability and upward earnings momentum makes it a defensible choice for a business degree.