Hospitality Administration/Management at University of North Texas at Dallas

Hospitality programs in Texas cluster around $35,000-$37,000 in first-year earnings, and this UNT Dallas degree appears to track right at that state median of roughly $37,000. With an estimated $22,600 in debt—slightly below what peers typically carry—the 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates could manage their loans on hospitality wages, though there won't be much cushion for the first few years.

What's worth noting is that flagship programs like Texas Tech and the main UNT campus report earnings in the low $40,000s, about $5,000 more than what similar programs at schools like UNT Dallas typically produce. That gap matters in hospitality, where margins are already tight. The high Pell grant percentage here (51%) signals this school serves students who need the degree to pay off quickly, and starting at $36,000 in a city like Dallas—where cost of living runs higher than much of Texas—means careful budgeting from day one.

For families weighing this investment, the math works if your child is committed to hospitality specifically and needs to stay local. The debt load is reasonable compared to what the field typically generates. But if they're exploring options, looking at programs with actual reported outcomes in the $40,000+ range could provide more financial breathing room in those crucial early career years.