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Business · Business Administration Rank #62 of 1169

Business Administrationat University of Colorado Boulder

Graduates earn $56,014/yr in their first year — about 19.0% above the national Business Administration average. Base-case 10-year earnings $725K; scenarios range from $632K to $746K depending on AI disruption.

Boulder, CO Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
76 STRONG
76
Optimistic
70
Pessimistic
Earnings
$56,014
1-year post-graduation
ROI
12.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$725K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Colorado Boulder

Graduates earn $56,014/yr, edging above the $46,892 national average for Business Administration — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 11.0x 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 — 47% task exposure — and the 15% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $20,500 in median debt against $56,014 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #62 out of 1,169 programs, University of Colorado Boulder's Business Administration program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $56,014 to $91,156 over five years (63% 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
$632K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple9.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$725K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple11.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$746K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple11.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Colorado Boulder's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Business Administration 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
Computer and information systems managers
+15.2% 10-yr growth · 55,600 openings/yr
$171,200/yr
High
3
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
4
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
5
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
6
Compensation and benefits managers
+0.2% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$140,360/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Business Administration

How University of Colorado Boulder stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Manhattan College
NY · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$114K
1-yr earn
4.5x
ROI
Top score
Bismarck State College
ND · Public
89
DW Score
$101K
1-yr earn
61.8x
ROI
Maine Maritime Academy
ME · Public
73
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
15.7x
ROI
Carnegie Mellon University
PA · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$96K
1-yr earn
5.2x
ROI
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
MI · Public
86
DW Score
$94K
1-yr earn
19.4x
ROI
Also at University of Colorado Boulder

Other top programs at University of Colorado Boulder

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Colorado Boulder, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Business Administration offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Business Administration trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Business Administration at University of Colorado Boulder

How does University of Colorado Boulder's Business Administration program score?

A score of 76/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Colorado Boulder's Business Administration graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Business Administration to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Business Administration careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does University of Colorado Boulder rank so high for Business Administration?

The #62 ranking out of 1,169 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.