For millions of people, a college degree is a ticket that helps them cash in on the American dream. Choosing the right school makes success even more likely, according to a recent analysis by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
Georgetown researchers found that earning a degree in business pays off more than many other types of degrees — although graduates in health, engineering, and computer and information sciences programs tend to have an even higher financial return.
The study finds that “the majority of business programs lead to median earnings that are roughly 10 times students’ debt payments two years after graduation.”
But the power of a business degree is particularly potent when it’s from a handful of schools. Following are the master’s, bachelor’s and associate’s degree business programs that earn students the largest salaries following graduation, according to the Georgetown report.
Top master’s business programs
Graduates who earned master’s degrees in business from the following schools typically earn the most:
- University of Pennsylvania: Median annual earnings of $165,600 after student loan payments
- Dartmouth College: $162,000
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $159,600
Top bachelor’s business programs
Graduates who earned bachelor’s degrees in business from the following schools typically earn the most:
- Bismarck State College: Median annual earnings of $103,200 after student loan payments
- Washington University in St. Louis: $82,800
- University of California-Berkeley: $80,400
Top associate’s business programs
Graduates who earned associate’s degrees in business from the following schools typically earn the most:
- Excelsior College: Median annual earnings of $44,400 after student loan payments
- Union County College: $44,400
- Camden County College: $42,000
- CUNY Medgar Evers College: $42,000
- Dakota County Technical College: $42,000
- Inver Hills Community College: $42,000
Cut your college costs
Regardless of where you — or your children — plan to attend school, odds are good that tuition will put a strain on your budget.
As we note in “7 Cheaper Paths to a Great College Education,” marching off to a pricey four-year campus can be a mistake, especially in an age when technology, innovative financial agreements and employer perks have democratized the cost of college.
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