Finance and Financial Management Services at University of New Orleans

University of New Orleans finance graduates face a challenging value proposition: first-year earnings of $34,989 trail the national median by $18,600—landing in just the 5th percentile nationally. Even within Louisiana's finance programs, this ranks in the bottom quartile, earning $7,000 less than the state median. For context, LSU's nearby finance program delivers 56% higher starting salaries, while even regional competitors like McNeese State and Louisiana Tech substantially outperform UNO.

The debt burden compounds the concern. While $27,469 might seem manageable in isolation, it exceeds both the state ($21,500) and national ($23,332) medians for finance degrees—meaning students are borrowing more to earn less. Though earnings do climb 18% to $41,132 by year four, this still falls short of what comparable programs deliver right out of the gate. The 0.79 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but it reflects getting started from behind.

If your child is committed to staying in New Orleans and has career connections there, this might work as an affordable in-state option—the admission rate and student profile suggest accessibility. But from a pure financial return perspective, Louisiana offers demonstrably stronger finance programs at similar public university price points. Unless geographic constraints are paramount, exploring LSU, Louisiana Tech, or even McNeese State would likely provide better career launching outcomes for a comparable investment.