Finance and Financial Management Services at Youngstown State University

Youngstown State's finance program produces graduates earning $45,000 in their first year—about $14,000 below the state median for finance majors and roughly $9,000 below the national median. Among Ohio's 43 finance programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile, meaning three-quarters of comparable programs in the state deliver stronger starting salaries. To put that gap in perspective: Miami University finance grads start at $71,000, and even Franklin University (an online-focused institution) averages $62,000.

The modest $22,000 debt load keeps this program from being a complete misfire—the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 means graduates should be able to manage payments. Earnings do grow to $53,000 by year four, which is respectable 18% growth. However, that still leaves graduates trailing their Ohio peers significantly throughout their early careers.

For families considering this program, the question is whether the lower tuition at Youngstown State offsets the earnings disadvantage. If your child can attend a higher-ranked Ohio public like Ohio State (where finance grads earn $65,000) for a similar net cost, that would likely be the better investment. But if Youngstown State offers a substantially lower price tag, the manageable debt could make this a reasonable fallback option—just understand you're trading initial earning power for affordability.