Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at University of Minnesota-Duluth

The estimated $23,350 debt burden here sits slightly below what peer entrepreneurship programs typically produce, while projected first-year earnings of $45,265 land right at the national median for this degree. That creates a manageable 0.52 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates from comparable programs typically earn about twice what they owe, a workable starting point for building a business or launching a career.

Minnesota's entrepreneurship programs cluster tightly around these national benchmarks, with the state median just $200 higher at $45,464. Nearby University of St. Thomas graduates report $48,600, suggesting some programs do push past the median, though that premium may reflect Twin Cities opportunities rather than curriculum differences. For a degree focused on entrepreneurship—where success often depends more on execution, risk tolerance, and market timing than credentials alone—the relatively modest debt load matters more than squeezing out an extra few thousand in starting salary.

The real uncertainty here isn't the estimated figures themselves but what entrepreneurship outcomes actually mean. These earnings likely capture graduates in traditional jobs rather than business ownership, where income varies wildly and takes time to materialize. If your child plans to launch straight into their own venture, that $23,350 in debt becomes a fixed monthly obligation regardless of whether their business generates revenue immediately. For those treating this as a management degree with entrepreneurial training, the debt-to-earnings picture looks reasonable compared to alternatives.