Business, General

What graduates really earn, where the degree pays off most, and whether the numbers add up for you.

Avg Earnings (4yr)

$55,356

Median Earnings

$72,002

Schools Offering

ROI Grade

B+

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

25th: $60,104Median: $72,00275th: $87,656

Best Schools for Business, General by Earnings

#	School	ROI	4yr Earnings	Net Price	Major Debt	Grade
1	Bentley University MA · Private	94	$109,922	$37,930	$26,000	B
2	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public	62	$104,205	$32,875	$24,028	B
3	University of Minnesota-Crookston MN · Public	75	$101,828	$12,212	$29,062	B
4	Wentworth Institute of Technology MA · Private	82	$101,580	$34,170	$27,000	B
5	Southern New Hampshire University NH · Private	37	$98,399	$36,708	$15,697	A
6	Worcester Polytechnic Institute MA · Private	90	$93,298	$43,071	$26,500	B
7	Elon University NC · Private	75	$88,983	$41,555	$19,500	B+
8	New York University NY · Private	84	$87,656	$37,050	$23,000	C
9	Oklahoma Wesleyan University OK · Private	51	$86,511	$28,358	N/A	-
10	SUNY Maritime College NY · Public	91	$85,603	$22,367	$19,500	B
11	Loyola University Chicago IL · Private	69	$77,773	$36,079	$24,635	B+
12	Southwestern College KS · Private	38	$77,689	$29,824	N/A	-
13	California State University-Dominguez Hills CA · Public	71	$75,412	$8,615	$27,160	B
14	Widener University PA · Private	74	$73,790	$25,759	$27,000	C
15	Missouri University of Science and Technology MO · Public	90	$73,519	$16,298	$24,242	B
16	Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ · Public	77	$72,002	$14,967	$19,802	B
17	Benedictine University IL · Private	65	$71,185	$22,313	$25,000	B
18	Portland State University OR · Public	69	$70,765	$9,552	$20,250	C+
19	University of Southern Mississippi MS · Public	27	$70,328	$21,708	N/A	-
20	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus OH · Public	32	$69,239	$24,022	N/A	-
21	Fort Hays State University KS · Public	52	$65,526	$12,569	$26,564	C+
22	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi NY · Public	52	$64,612	$17,225	N/A	-
23	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater WI · Public	64	$60,386	$14,158	N/A	-
24	University of Louisiana at Lafayette LA · Public	47	$60,104	$13,530	N/A	-
25	University of Wisconsin-Stout WI · Public	67	$59,703	$17,490	$25,000	C
26	Wilberforce University OH · Private	14	$52,144	$5,567	$35,674	F
27	Saint Xavier University IL · Private	72	$50,221	$10,970	$22,280	C+
28	SUNY College of Technology at Canton NY · Public	36	$48,056	$15,268	N/A	-
29	Bethany College KS · Private	31	$47,895	$27,686	N/A	-
30	Point Park University PA · Private	25	$47,669	$25,942	$27,000	F
31	Philander Smith University AR · Private	10	$44,330	$14,224	$49,638	F
32	Claflin University SC · Private	15	$34,128	$17,800	$32,000	D

School-by-school analysis: Business, General

Editorial breakdowns of how business, general graduates fare at the top-earning programs in our dataset.

Bentley University

MA · Private · $109,922 4yr earnings · $26,000 median debt

Business General (106 graduates) earns $70,365 year one and $109,922 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.370 (B grade) and median debt of $26,000. This designation likely captures students who complete Bentley's core business curriculum without a narrow major specialization. The earnings are strong, confirming that the Bentley brand and generalist business preparation translates to good starting salaries across roles.

University of Minnesota-Crookston

MN · Public · $101,828 4yr earnings · $29,062 median debt

Business General graduates report the highest early earnings in the dataset at $82,115 one year out and $101,828 four years out, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.354 (grade B). This is an outstanding result for a public institution at this price point. The cohort of 14 graduates is small, which introduces some statistical noise, but the earnings trajectory is consistent with regional employer demand for business-skilled workers in agriculture and logistics industries.

SUNY Maritime College

NY · Public · $85,603 4yr earnings · $19,500 median debt

Business, General (40 graduates) earns $44,675 year-one and $85,603 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.436 (ROI grade B). Median debt of $19,500 at $44,675 year-one is a 0.44 ratio - manageable. The four-year trajectory to $85,603 shows strong recovery, likely reflecting maritime industry management roles for business graduates who leverage the institution's industry connections. The B grade is solid for a business program at a specialized technical college.

Strong Value

Is Business, General Worth It?

The Numbers Support This Major

Business, General pays off for most graduates. The average is $55,356 four years out - enough to handle student debt and start getting ahead. The ROI is solid; what moves it up or down is where you go and what you specialize in.

This is a more specialized field, offered at 34 schools in our data. Fewer options means less room to optimize on cost, so weigh each aid offer closely.

The top earner here is University of Minnesota-Crookston, where graduates pull $82,115 four years out. But an average hides a wide spread - where you go, and what you do with the degree, matter as much as the major itself.

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