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Business Administration at Northwestern College

Orange City, IA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Business Administration, Management and Operations
54 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
54
Optimistic
54
Base Case
48
Pessimistic
Earnings $48,515/yr (3% vs median)
AI Risk High (47% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)
ROI 3.7x earnings multiple
Ranked #852 of 1,169 Business Administration programs

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 $523K $520K $482K
Earnings Multiple 3.7x 3.7x 3.4x
Probability of Field Employment 47% 43% 32%
DegreeOutlook Score 54 54 48

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$141,200
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$94,076
33% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$23,250
5.8 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

At $48,515/yr, Business Administration graduates from Northwestern College land near the $46,892 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

An earnings multiple of 3.7x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

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 8% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $23,250 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #852 of 1,169 Business Administration programs, Northwestern College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

About Northwestern College

With 87% of applicants admitted, Northwestern College prioritizes broad access, a compact campus enrolling 1,125 students in Orange City, IA. The average net cost of $94,076 over four years represents a 33% discount from published tuition.

See all programs and financial aid at Northwestern College →

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

Compare this program → View all 1169 schools offering Business Administration →

Business Administration at Other Schools

Manhattan College ($113,777) Bismarck State College ($100,668) Maine Maritime Academy ($98,743) Carnegie Mellon University ($95,891) University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ($93,674) University of Pennsylvania ($91,443) University of California-Berkeley ($90,008) Emory University ($85,682)

Other Majors at Northwestern College

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($71,479) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($42,441)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Business Administration trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Business Administration at Northwestern College?
This program scores 54/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Business Administration programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
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 $482,082 in decade earnings vs $522,661 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →