Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of West Los Angeles

The estimated debt load here tells a worrying story: borrowing $44,592 for a business degree appears significantly above what's typical in California, where the median debt for this credential sits at just $21,000. That's more than double the state norm for the same type of program, which immediately raises questions about whether University of West Los Angeles structures its costs competitively.

Based on similar business administration programs across California, first-year earnings around $49,543 would be about average—matching the state median exactly. That puts the debt-to-earnings ratio at 0.90, meaning graduates would owe nearly a full year's salary. While this isn't catastrophic, it's substantially higher than what students at comparable California programs face, since they're typically borrowing half as much for similar earning outcomes. The earnings estimate itself aligns with the national median of $45,703, so the issue isn't the income potential—it's the price tag attached to it.

The real challenge is that these estimates are based on peer programs because this school's own graduate cohort was too small to report. That means you're essentially betting on costs that appear high relative to outcomes that remain uncertain. If your child can access business programs with lower debt loads—particularly at California State University campuses where similar graduates earn comparable salaries—that would reduce financial risk considerably without sacrificing career prospects.