Ashland’s M.B.A. program No. 2 in Ohio, according to Wall Street Journal study

Published on Nov. 19, 2021

College of Business and Economics

ASHLAND, Ohio – Adding a Master of Business Administration degree to one’s résumé typically brings a quick return on investment, a recent Wall Street Journal analysis confirmed. And the study’s debt-income ratio statistic indicates that is especially true for graduates of Ashland University’s M.B.A. program.

While many have to borrow money for a graduate-level education, those who do to obtain an M.B.A. can pay off their loans in short order. According to the Wall Street Journal’s examination of federal student loan data for 575 M.B.A. programs, “graduates typically made more money two years out of school than they had borrowed.” That is not the case for many other areas of study, such as law school.

Of those 575 institutions considered in the analysis, Ashland particularly stood out. Based on average debt-income ratio, or the median debt for graduates from 2015 and 2016 divided by their median income two years later, Ashland’s M.B.A. program came in among the very best in the region and the state and was one of the leaders across the country. With a 0.31 debt-income ratio, Ashland ranked:

Among the top 5% of all 575 schools in the study
Number 2 out of the 26 Ohio schools that offer M.B.A. programs
Number 1 among northeast Ohio schools

“This Wall Street Journal study demonstrates what we’ve known for years, an M.B.A. is a smart investment. It not only results in a bigger payday, but it opens new doors for an array of career opportunities,” said Ronald Mickler, executive director of MBA programs at Ashland University. “At Ashland specifically, this data affirms what we believe -- that we have the best M.B.A. programs and faculty in the region and beyond. Our graduates leave with little debt and prospects for a brighter future, financially and otherwise.”

Ashland offers a variety of M.B.A. program options to choose from, ranging from completely online to traditional full-time options to specific track programs and customized specializations. For more information and to take advantage of a first-of-its-kind, limited-time Black Friday MBA tuition savings event, go to mba.ashland.edu.