Businessat Gustavus Adolphus College
Graduates earn $49,881/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Business average. Base-case 10-year earnings $609K; scenarios range from $549K to $619K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Gustavus Adolphus College
First-year earnings of $49,881 track close to the $48,211 national median for Business programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The financial case is thin at 2.8x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.
Some AI exposure exists in Business's typical career paths, with 46% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 11% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $25,500 represents roughly 6 months of the $49,881 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #195 of 242 Business programs, Gustavus Adolphus College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $49,881 to $69,776 over five years — a 40% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Gustavus Adolphus College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Business
How Gustavus Adolphus College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Gustavus Adolphus College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Gustavus Adolphus College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Business offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Business trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Business at Gustavus Adolphus College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Business at Gustavus Adolphus College?
This program scores 56/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Business programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Business careers?
With 46% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $549,328 in decade earnings vs $619,250 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is Gustavus Adolphus College a hidden gem for Business?
After financial aid, the average student pays $107,580 over four years — 50% below the $217,240 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.