Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $47,553/yr fall 24% below the $62,729 national median for Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
With a 11.1x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 16% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
At $21,500 in median debt against $47,553 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
A #53 ranking among 118 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods programs places Illinois State University in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
The $47,553-to-$74,155 earnings arc over five years reflects a 56% gain — well above average career growth for recent graduates.