Business Administration at Illinois State University

Normal, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Business Administration, Management and Operations
68 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
69
Optimistic
68
Base Case
62
Pessimistic
Earnings $50,647/yr (8% vs median)
AI Risk High (47% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)
ROI 9.5x earnings multiple (5.4x out-of-state)
Ranked #306 of 1,169 Business Administration programs Top 50%

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 $616K $606K $545K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 9.6x 9.5x 8.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.5x 5.4x 4.9x
Probability of Field Employment 47% 43% 32%
DegreeOutlook Score 69 68 62

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$64,084
Out-of-state: $112,344 (5.4x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$75,984
-19% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$15,000
3.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$70,456
39% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Illinois State University's Business Administration graduates start at $50,647/yr — above the $46,892 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.5x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

Some AI exposure exists in Business Administration's typical career paths, with 47% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 12% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $15,000 in median debt clears quickly against $50,647 in annual earnings.

At #306 of 1,169 Business Administration programs, Illinois State University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $50,647 to $70,456 over five years — a 39% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Illinois State University

A 89% acceptance rate means Illinois State University is accessible to most applicants, serving 18,414 students in Normal, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at Illinois 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

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Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Business Administration at Illinois State University?
A score of 68/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Business Administration field.
Will AI replace Business Administration careers?
With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $545,073 in decade earnings vs $616,479 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →