Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of New Mexico-Main Campus

UNM's business associate degree produces first-year earnings well below the national average ($25,698 versus $33,977), but there's an important twist: within New Mexico, this lands at the 60th percentile. The real competition isn't national programs—it's other in-state options like Central New Mexico Community College, where graduates earn $37,010 right out of the gate. That $11,000 difference is significant when you're starting at just over $25K.

The encouraging news is earnings growth. That 57% jump to $40,249 by year four suggests the degree opens doors over time, and the debt load of $11,338 remains manageable throughout this trajectory. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 means students can realistically handle payments even during that challenging first year. For a school serving a substantial population of Pell grant recipients, keeping debt this low matters.

However, the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates tracked—means these numbers could shift considerably with a different cohort. If your child is targeting business administration and planning to stay in New Mexico, community colleges like Central New Mexico or Santa Fe offer stronger starting salaries with comparable debt levels. UNM's program isn't a disaster, but unless there are compelling reasons to choose this campus specifically (location, transfer pathways, campus culture), other New Mexico institutions deliver better immediate returns for the same investment.