Business Administration, Management and Operations at William Carey University

William Carey's business program shows a troubling trajectory: graduates earn $40,598 in their first year, slightly above the Mississippi median, but then see their earnings drop 16% by year four to just $34,119. This downward slide suggests graduates may struggle to advance beyond entry-level positions or face challenges transitioning into stable career tracks. While the program ranks in the 60th percentile within Mississippi, that's partly because business outcomes across the state are weaker than the national norm—Mississippi's median for business grads sits nearly $6,000 below the national figure.

The debt burden of $24,249 is reasonable compared to national standards, and the initial debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60 looks manageable on paper. But that metric becomes less reassuring when earnings decline rather than grow in the crucial early career years. By year four, graduates are earning less than typical Mississippi business grads, creating a concerning financial picture as they're still paying down loans.

For families weighing this investment, the comparison to other Mississippi options matters: programs at Belhaven ($51,546), Ole Miss ($44,971), and Mississippi College ($43,299) all deliver significantly stronger first-year outcomes. Unless William Carey offers compelling reasons beyond the earnings data—perhaps location, scholarship availability, or specific career connections—the numbers suggest looking closely at alternatives that provide better launching pads for business careers.