Business Administration, Management and Operations: is this doctoral degree worth it?
National picture across 18 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$109,689 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$109,689Median year-4 earnings
$17,835Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$109,689Median reported earnings · year 4
$99,769Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
61thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
18Reporting programs
18With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,328
- Federal debt
- $14,600
- Reporting programs
- 137
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,685
- Federal debt
- $14,000
- Reporting programs
- 592
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,466
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 1,282
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $140,589
- Federal debt
- $20,114
- Reporting programs
- 5
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $93,369
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 890
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $109,689
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 18
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $166,604
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $88,594
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 42
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,472
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 9
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$95,044National median$109,68975th percentile$113,634
18 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of South Florida$200,9312University of Florida$196,5413St. John Fisher University$128,0604Capella University$121,9255The Chicago School at Chicago$113,6346The Chicago School at Anaheim$113,6347The Chicago School at Los Angeles$113,6348The Chicago School at Washington DC$113,6349Northcentral University$105,74410Walden University$105,432Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Business Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1011 · 9 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 7 crosswalk linksAdministrative Services ManagersSOC 11-3012 · 4 crosswalk linksGeneral and Operations ManagersSOC 11-1021 · 4 crosswalk linksIndustrial Production ManagersSOC 11-3051 · 4 crosswalk linksMedical and Health Services ManagersSOC 11-9111 · 4 crosswalk linksFacilities ManagersSOC 11-3013 · 3 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersSOC 43-1011 · 3 crosswalk linksLogisticiansSOC 13-1081 · 3 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 3 crosswalk linksProject Management SpecialistsSOC 13-1082 · 3 crosswalk linksTransportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersSOC 11-3071 · 3 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of South FloridaDoctoral Degree | Tampa, FL | $200,931 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,812 |
| 2 | University of FloridaDoctoral Degree | Gainesville, FL | $196,541 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,541 |
| 3 | St. John Fisher UniversityDoctoral Degree | Rochester, NY | $128,060 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,945 |
| 4 | Capella UniversityDoctoral Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $121,925 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,956 |
| 5 | The Chicago School at ChicagoDoctoral Degree | Chicago, IL | $113,634 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 6 | The Chicago School at AnaheimDoctoral Degree | Anaheim, CA | $113,634 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 7 | The Chicago School at Los AngelesDoctoral Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $113,634 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 8 | The Chicago School at Washington DCDoctoral Degree | Washington, DC | $113,634 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 9 | Northcentral UniversityDoctoral Degree | San Diego, CA | $105,744 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 10 | Walden UniversityDoctoral Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $105,432 | Not available | Baseline needed | $33,817 |
| 11 | Colorado Technical University-Colorado SpringsDoctoral Degree | Colorado Springs, CO | $99,321 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,745 |
| 12 | University of the CumberlandsDoctoral Degree | Williamsburg, KY | $98,100 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,107 |
| 13 | University of Phoenix-ArizonaDoctoral Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $95,044 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,520 |
| 14 | Our Lady of the Lake UniversityDoctoral Degree | San Antonio, TX | $94,546 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,442 |
| 15 | Baker CollegeDoctoral Degree | Owosso, MI | $93,810 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,157 |
| 16 | Baker UniversityDoctoral Degree | Baldwin City, KS | $90,266 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,301 |
| 17 | Gardner-Webb UniversityDoctoral Degree | Boiling Springs, NC | $84,386 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,674 |
| 18 | The Chicago School at DallasDoctoral Degree | , | $113,634 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.