Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of St Thomas

Drawing on comparable business programs in Texas, this degree suggests first-year earnings around $44,000—right at the state median but well behind what elite Texas universities deliver. That $26,000 in estimated debt yields a manageable 0.59 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe roughly seven months of their first year's salary. For context, the top business programs in Texas produce starting salaries 50-60% higher, though those schools are significantly more selective than UST's 93% admission rate.

The practical challenge isn't the debt load itself—$26,000 falls in line with what most Texas business programs carry. It's whether the estimated $44,000 starting salary provides enough runway in Houston's competitive job market, where cost of living continues climbing. Similar programs across Texas cluster tightly around this same earnings figure, suggesting the business bachelor's has become somewhat commoditized at mid-tier schools. The degree gets you in the game, but it doesn't appear to confer the same career acceleration you'd see at UT Austin or TCU.

For families considering this program, the key question is value beyond the numbers. If your student thrives in UST's smaller, mission-driven environment and can graduate near the $26,000 debt estimate, the financial math works—it's not a crushing burden. But if career outcomes are the priority and your student can gain admission to a higher-ranked Texas business school, the earnings gap suggests those programs deliver meaningfully stronger returns.