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Business · Finance Rank #164 of 431

Financeat Ball State University

Graduates earn $50,077/yr in their first year — about 10.0% below the national Finance average. Base-case 10-year earnings $647K; scenarios range from $580K to $669K depending on AI disruption.

Muncie, IN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
75 STRONG
77
Optimistic
73
Pessimistic
Earnings
$50,077
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$647K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Ball State University

At $50,077/yr, Finance graduates from Ball State University land near the $55,340 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 15.0x 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 — 55% task exposure — and the 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $23,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #164 out of 431 programs, Ball State University's Finance offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $50,077 to $69,618 shows 39% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$580K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple13.5x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$647K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple15.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$669K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score77/100
Earnings Multiple15.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Ball State University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Finance graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Chief executives
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 22,200 openings/yr
$206,420/yr
High
2
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
3
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
4
General and operations managers
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 308,700 openings/yr
$102,950/yr
Moderate
5
Personal financial advisors
+9.6% 10-yr growth · 24,100 openings/yr
$102,140/yr
High
6
Financial and investment analysts
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 25,100 openings/yr
$101,350/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Finance

How Ball State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private nonprofit
82
DW Score
$123K
1-yr earn
8.2x
ROI
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
80
DW Score
$106K
1-yr earn
4.9x
ROI
Washington University in St Louis
MO · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$103K
1-yr earn
6.6x
ROI
Same state (IN)
University of Notre Dame
IN · Private nonprofit
79
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
4.5x
ROI
Wake Forest University
NC · Private nonprofit
78
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
4.4x
ROI
Also at Ball State University

Other top programs at Ball State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Ball State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Finance offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Finance trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Finance at Ball State University

How does Ball State University's Finance program score?

A score of 75/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Ball State University's Finance graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Finance to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Finance careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 55% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.