Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

UNC Charlotte's Management Sciences program sits in an interesting position: it trails national benchmarks by about $11,000 annually, but performs respectably within North Carolina, ranking above the state median. The $51,384 first-year salary falls short of what this degree typically delivers elsewhere—landing at just the 25th percentile nationally—yet beats half of comparable programs in-state. With debt at $23,250 (yielding a manageable 0.45 ratio), graduates aren't carrying an outsized burden, though they're starting from a lower earnings baseline than peers at other schools.

The real caveat here is sample size: fewer than 30 graduates means these numbers could swing significantly year to year. That instability makes it harder to trust this as a stable outcome pattern. For context, Appalachian State's program shows graduates earning nearly $5,000 more annually, suggesting there may be stronger options within North Carolina's public university system for quantitative management training.

If your student is committed to Charlotte for location or cost reasons, the debt load is reasonable enough that this won't become a financial trap. But if they have flexibility, it's worth comparing job placement outcomes and curriculum rigor against programs like App State that demonstrate stronger early earnings. The small cohort size might also mean fewer on-campus recruiting opportunities from employers specifically seeking these skills.