Survey: UNCW MBA grads have less student debt

MBA students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Cameron School of Business graduate with less student debt than those in other U.S. MBA programs, according to a survey recently released by U.S. News & World Report.

Called “The Short List: 10 MBAs that lead to low student debt,” U.S. News measured the average debt load among MBA program graduates at 94 schools across the county, and according to its data, Cameron School students who earned an MBA degree in 2011 had borrowed an average of $8,000 to further their education.

UNCW was the only university in North Carolina to make the list.

On average, 2011 MBA graduates nationwide who borrowed to complete business school finished with $47,743 in debt, the survey found. Other MBA programs surveyed left graduates owing as much as $100,000 on average.

“UNCW’s placement at the top of the Short List emphasizes our commitment to making a high-quality, advanced education as affordable as possible,” said Larry Clark, dean of the Cameron School of Business. “Our MBA students graduate with a wealth of real-world experience and limited debt, which positions them to succeed in a variety of business settings.”

The Cameron School offers a full-time MBA program that includes a semester of international study at a partner school in Europe or Asia. The school also offers a part-time, two-year professional MBA program.

Clark said that both options involve significant hands-on experience for students.

 “Our part-time MBA program is not just a collection of courses,” he said. “It includes what we call our Learning Alliance, in which students work in teams with companies in the region. There’s also a practicum, which [places students] in a real company situation. These experiences differentiate us from other evening MBA programs, which often do not involve integrated learning.”

Vincent Howe, director of the Cameron School’s MBA programs, said that U.S. News drew most of its survey data from part-time professional programs, not from full-time programs.

Asked why Cameron MBA grads need to borrow so little, Howe said that the program itself is a bargain: in-state residents paid $16,500 in tuition and fees for both years of the professional program during the 2010-2011 year, which is the information upon which the survey was based.

“We’re very proud of our MBA graduates, who hold leadership positions with firms like ConAgra, Morgan Stanley and Ernst & Young, among others,” said Chancellor Gary L. Mille in a news release. “The quality of our MBA program, plus our affordability, make UNCW an outstanding choice for savvy future business executives and entrepreneurs.”

For more information about the U.S. News Short List, click here.

For more information about UNCW's MBA program, click here.