Business Administration, Management and Operations at Whittier College

Whittier's business program starts slow but shows strong momentum, with graduates seeing their earnings jump 34% to nearly $54,000 by year four. That trajectory matters—but the starting point is problematic. At $40,073 in the first year, new graduates earn about $9,500 less than the typical California business graduate and fall short of the national median by $5,600. In a state with 98 business programs, landing in the 25th percentile suggests this degree struggles to compete for entry-level opportunities.

The $25,000 debt load sits below the national median but above California's typical $21,000, creating a 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio that's workable but not comfortable given the weak starting salary. Even after four years of growth, earnings remain below what many California business programs deliver at graduation. Students at Cal Poly SLO, for instance, start around $72,000—already 34% higher than where Whittier grads land after four years of career building.

For families paying private school tuition, this represents a concerning value gap. The 32% Pell grant population suggests many students here face real financial constraints, making that slow earnings start particularly consequential. Unless Whittier offers substantially lower net costs than California's public alternatives or your student has specific reasons to choose this campus, stronger-performing business programs in the state would better justify the investment.