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Business Administration at Northern State University

Aberdeen, SD · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Business Administration, Management and Operations

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $43,667/yr (-7% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)

ROI 14.8x earnings multiple (10.9x out-of-state)

Ranked #445 of 1,169 Business Administration programs Top 50%

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	$525K	$522K	$483K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.8x	14.8x	13.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	11.0x	10.9x	10.1x
Probability of Field Employment	47%	43%	32%
DegreeOutlook Score	65	65	59

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$35,380

Out-of-state: $47,788 (10.9x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$68,376

-93% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$23,000

6.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$53,939

24% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $43,667/yr, roughly in line with the $46,892 national median for Business Administration. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.8x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Business Administration programs nationally.

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.

Median debt of $23,000 represents roughly 6 months of the $43,667 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #445 of 1,169 Business Administration programs, Northern State University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $43,667 to $53,939 over five years — a 24% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Northern State University

Northern State University accepts 93% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, a compact campus enrolling 1,239 students in Aberdeen, SD.

See all programs and financial aid at Northern State University →

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

Business Administration at Other Schools

Other Majors at Northern State University

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For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Business Administration at Northern State University?

A score of 65/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Business Administration field.

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 $483,364 in decade earnings vs $524,572 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →