International Business at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

Similar international business programs in Texas suggest first-year earnings around $42,000, which falls short of the $50,000 national median for this major. The estimated $25,000 in debt—based on comparable bachelor's programs at private institutions like UMHB—creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60, which is manageable but leaves little room for error if actual outcomes skew lower.

The challenge here is that we're working entirely with estimates. Texas programs show wide variation, with graduates from schools like Saint Edward's and UT Arlington earning $48,000-$52,000 in their first year, while others cluster closer to $42,000. UMHB's 95% admission rate and 1098 average SAT suggest it likely lands in the middle-to-lower tier of this range. The estimated debt figure comes from national data rather than Texas-specific comparisons, where peer programs typically produce lower debt loads around $18,000.

For parents, this means assuming both financial risk and outcome uncertainty. If actual earnings and debt align with these estimates, your child faces a debt burden equivalent to seven months of gross salary—workable with discipline but tight enough that any deviation matters substantially. Before committing, push the school for their actual graduate outcomes, even informally, and consider whether your child might access the higher-earning programs in Texas's public university system at potentially lower cost.