Business Administration at University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Business Administration, Management and Operations
74 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
75
Optimistic
74
Base Case
68
Pessimistic
Earnings $46,264/yr (-1% vs median)
AI Risk High (47% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)
ROI 15.6x earnings multiple (5.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #121 of 1,169 Business Administration programs Top 10%

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 $704K $686K $604K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.0x 15.6x 13.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 5.2x 4.6x
Probability of Field Employment 47% 43% 32%
DegreeOutlook Score 75 74 68

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$43,856
Out-of-state: $131,708 (5.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$85,592
-95% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$21,399
5.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$80,929
75% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $46,264/yr, roughly in line with the $46,892 national median for Business Administration. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 15.6x 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 — 47% task exposure — and the 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $46,264 far exceeding the $21,399 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #121 ranking out of 1,169 Business Administration programs nationally puts University of Iowa in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $46,264 to $80,929 over five years (75% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of Iowa

University of Iowa accepts 85% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 21,691 students in Iowa City, IA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Iowa →

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Iowa's Business Administration program score?
A score of 74/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Iowa'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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →