Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of the Ozarks

The numbers here point to a significant underperformance problem, even accounting for the small sample size. At $35,373, graduates earn $3,700 less than the Arkansas median and nearly $10,000 below the national benchmark—landing this program in just the 5th percentile nationally. While the 40th percentile within Arkansas sounds more respectable, that's misleading context: you're comparing against a state where business programs generally lag behind. More telling is the comparison to peer institutions—University of Arkansas graduates earn 60% more, and even regional competitors like Arkansas Tech produce substantially better outcomes.

The debt picture compounds the concern. At $18,575, borrowers face the 95th percentile in debt nationally for this program, meaning only 5% of business programs saddle students with more. Combined with below-average earnings, the 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic but offers little cushion. A graduate would need to dedicate roughly half their first year's gross income to pay off the debt immediately—a tighter squeeze than it should be for a business degree that typically launches careers with more earning power.

For a family considering this program, the question is simple: what justifies paying slightly above-state-average debt for significantly below-average returns? Unless there are compelling personal reasons to attend—geography, scholarships, or specific faculty relationships—Arkansas offers multiple business programs with dramatically stronger earnings trajectories at comparable or lower cost.