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Specialized Sales at Ball State University

Muncie, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
48 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
49
Optimistic
48
Base Case
47
Pessimistic
Earnings $35,904/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk High (43% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (499,600 openings/yr)
ROI 10.6x earnings multiple (4.0x out-of-state)
Ranked #19 of 42 Specialized Sales programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Specialized Sales graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $452K $456K $435K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.5x 10.6x 10.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 4.0x 3.8x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 45% 35%
DegreeOutlook Score 49 48 47

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$43,032
Out-of-state: $115,064 (4.0x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$63,592
-48% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,450
8.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $35,904/yr, roughly in line with the $36,662 national median for Specialized Sales. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 10.6x 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 — 43% task exposure — and the 4% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $25,450 debt-to-$35,904 income ratio translates to about 9 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #19 out of 42 programs, Ball State University's Specialized Sales offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

About Ball State University

Ball State University accepts 72% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, enrolling 13,770 students in Muncie, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Ball State University →

Top Career Paths

Marketing managers $161,030/yr
Models $89,990/yr
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers $84,130/yr
View all 11 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 42 schools offering Specialized Sales →

Specialized Sales at Other Schools

Northwood University ($64,100) Saint Joseph's University ($56,794) Immaculata University ($47,289) Marist College ($47,137) Ferris State University ($46,695) Seattle Pacific University ($44,823) Baylor University ($43,414) Fashion Institute of Technology ($42,717)

Other Majors at Ball State University

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($73,719) Construction Management ($69,076) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($67,833) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($67,350) General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations ($65,184) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($60,526) Landscape Architecture ($59,972) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($59,249)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Specialized Sales trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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

How does Ball State University's Specialized Sales program score?
This program scores 48/100 — on the lower end for Specialized Sales. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Specialized Sales to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Specialized Sales careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 43% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →