Business Administration, Management and Operations at Valley City State University

Valley City State's business program sits in an unusual position: it beats the national median by 5% but falls short of North Dakota's state median by nearly $2,500 annually. Among the 14 business programs in North Dakota, this places graduates in the 40th percentile—below what you'd expect given the state's generally strong business outcomes.

The debt picture offers some consolation. At $27,000, it's slightly above the national median but manageable given first-year earnings, creating a debt-to-income ratio of 0.56. More importantly, this debt load is lower than at several higher-earning competitors in the state. The 7% earnings growth over four years suggests stable career progression, though it won't dramatically alter the initial income gap. The moderate sample size means these numbers should be reasonably reliable for planning purposes.

For North Dakota families, this creates a straightforward calculation. Your child will likely earn $6,000 to $10,000 less annually than peers at University of Mary or UND, at least in the early career years. If Valley City offers significantly lower tuition or a better fit, that trade-off might make sense. But purely on earnings potential, several in-state alternatives deliver stronger returns without substantially more debt.