Home Schools Southeast Missouri State University Finance
Business · Finance Rank #80 of 431

Financeat Southeast Missouri State University

Graduates earn $46,736/yr in their first year — about 16.0% below the national Finance average. Base-case 10-year earnings $878K; scenarios range from $749K to $932K depending on AI disruption.

Cape Girardeau, MO Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
80 STRONG
81
Optimistic
78
Pessimistic
Earnings
$46,736
1-year post-graduation
ROI
23.2x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$878K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Southeast Missouri State University

Starting salaries of $46,736/yr fall 16% below the $55,340 national median for Finance. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.

The 23.1x 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 20% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $21,497 in median debt against $46,736 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #80 out of 431 programs, Southeast Missouri State University's Finance program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $46,736 to $92,092 over five years (97% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful 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
$749K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple19.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$878K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score80/100
Earnings Multiple23.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$932K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score81/100
Earnings Multiple24.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Southeast Missouri 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 Southeast Missouri 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
Same state (MO)
Washington University in St Louis
MO · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$103K
1-yr earn
6.6x
ROI
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 Southeast Missouri State University

Other top programs at Southeast Missouri State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Southeast Missouri 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 Southeast Missouri State University

How does Southeast Missouri State University's Finance program score?

A score of 80/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Southeast Missouri 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.

Why does Southeast Missouri State University rank so high for Finance?

The #80 ranking out of 431 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Why are Finance earnings lower at Southeast Missouri State University?

Lower starting pay at Southeast Missouri State University may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.