Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of Saint Mary

University of Saint Mary's business graduates earn $35,344 their first year out—roughly $16,000 below the Kansas median for business programs and $10,000 below the national average. Among the 28 Kansas schools offering business degrees, this program sits in just the 10th percentile. To put that in perspective, graduates from comparable Kansas schools like Baker University and MidAmerica Nazarene University earn around $59,000, nearly 70% more. Even the state's public flagship, University of Kansas, produces business graduates earning $55,633.

The debt load of $26,250 is fairly typical, but that becomes problematic when paired with below-average earnings. A 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but it means graduates are starting their careers with debt equal to three-quarters of their annual income—a tougher position than at stronger programs. The small sample size here is worth noting; with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these numbers could shift significantly with a different cohort.

For Kansas families, this is a difficult recommendation. If your child is set on University of Saint Mary for other reasons—perhaps a scholarship, campus fit, or specific program elements—the debt burden itself isn't outrageous. But purely from an earnings standpoint, they'd likely be better served at other Kansas institutions where business graduates start $15,000-$25,000 higher. That difference compounds quickly over a career.