Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at University of San Francisco

USF's entrepreneurship program shows a dramatic earnings trajectory, but the first-year numbers tell a challenging story. Starting at $43,146—below the national median and only slightly above California's $40,890—graduates face a real income gap immediately after graduation. The debt load of $22,812 isn't catastrophic, but with a 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio, it's meaningful when you're barely clearing $40,000.

Here's what changes the equation: by year four, median earnings jump to $83,065, nearly doubling the initial figure. This 93% growth rate suggests graduates are either launching successful ventures or leveraging their entrepreneurial skills into higher-paying roles. The program ranks in the 60th percentile among California's 11 entrepreneurship programs, placing it in the better half despite that weak start.

The major caveat is the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset. That makes these numbers less reliable and means a few high earners could be skewing that impressive year-four figure upward. For your child, this matters: if they're comfortable with financial uncertainty in those early years and have support during that period, the long-term outlook appears strong. But if they need immediate income stability after graduation, this program's delayed payoff presents real risk, especially given we can't be certain the small sample reflects typical outcomes.