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Business Administration at Ball State University

Muncie, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Business Administration, Management and Operations

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $60,526/yr (29% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)

ROI 14.7x earnings multiple (5.5x out-of-state)

Ranked #36 of 1,169 Business Administration programs Top 5%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Business Administration graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$643K	$631K	$563K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.9x	14.7x	13.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.6x	5.5x	4.9x
Probability of Field Employment	47%	43%	32%
DegreeOutlook Score	78	78	72

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$43,032

Out-of-state: $115,064 (5.5x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$63,592

-48% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,500

4.1 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$77,414

28% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $60,526 put Ball State University's Business Administration program 29% above the national median of $46,892 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.

The 14.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $60,526 far exceeding the $20,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #36 out of 1,169 programs, Ball State University's Business Administration program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $60,526 to $77,414 shows 28% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Ball State University

Ball State University accepts 72% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 13,770 students in Muncie, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Ball State University →

Top Career Paths

Chief executives $206,420/yr

Computer and information systems managers $171,200/yr

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr

View all 42 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Business Administration at Other Schools

Other Majors at Ball State University

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Ball State University's Business Administration program score?

A score of 78/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Ball State University's Business Administration graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Business Administration to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Business Administration careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does Ball State University rank so high for Business Administration?

The #36 ranking out of 1,169 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →