Business/Commerce, General graduates from Michigan State University earn $188,085 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $78,686.
Business/Commerce, General at Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Business/Commerce, General at Michigan State University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Michigan State University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Business/Commerce, General at the master's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 108 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Michigan State University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $188,085 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $104,045 across all institutions offering Business/Commerce, General, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Michigan State University, the mean median-earnings figure is $72,735, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Business/Commerce, General graduates at Michigan State University is $78,686, which translates to roughly $656 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Business/Commerce, General at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $258,152 | $41,000 |
| Northwestern University | $240,637 | $76,735 |
| Emory University | $209,140 | $47,269 |
| Michigan State University (this school) | $188,085 | $78,686 |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus | $180,117 | $61,118 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis | $171,615 | $37,032 |
| Indiana University-Bloomington | $161,345 | $41,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | $160,097 | $50,847 |
| Johns Hopkins University | $158,699 | $61,449 |
| Northeastern University | $148,490 | $47,834 |
Other Programs at Michigan State University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General (current) | $188,085 | $78,686 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $142,927 | $51,250 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $139,589 | $30,375 |
| Medicine | $130,503 | $251,502 |
| Veterinary Medicine | $127,621 | $177,857 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $127,481 | $41,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $123,621 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $118,130 | $48,355 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $116,905 | $22,500 |
| Chemistry | $113,129 | — |
Other Schools with Business/Commerce, General
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.