Houghton University

Houghton University's program mix is anchored in Business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 37 graduates annually, followed by Biology, General, Psychology, General, Communication and Media Studies, and Teacher Education.

The institution's program portfolio reflects a concentration in Business at 21%, with meaningful enrollment in Education at 9% and Arts at 6%, creating a career-focused institutional signature. Among Houghton University's ranked programs, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes.

Business Administration leads with median earnings of $60,393 four years after enrollment across 37 graduates. Communication and Media Studies follows with graduates earning $45,134 and 21 completers, while Psychology, General delivers median earnings of $37,822 across 27 graduates.

These earnings patterns reflect the institution's strength in fields where employers recruit actively and early-career compensation remains competitive. The program distribution across 15 total programs, with 0 meeting Azimuth's ranking threshold, supports both breadth and specialization.

Houghton University graduates roughly 213 students annually across this portfolio, creating cohort scale that supports employer relationships and alumni network density. The concentration in applied business and professional fields aligns with the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/), where career-focused degree pathways continue to show stable labor-market positioning.

Houghton University's published cost of attendance is $31,143. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $19,147, middle-income families pay around $19,312, and higher-income families pay approximately $22,424.

Azimuth ranks Houghton University #895 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Houghton University meets demonstrated financial need for admitted students through a combination of need-based scholarships, grants, and federal loans. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile to determine eligibility for institutional aid.

The aid structure prioritizes need-based support, and work-study is available as part of aid packages for students who qualify. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $37,863; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $41,835, median federal debt of $25,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $285 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Houghton University earn median 4-year earnings of $41,835, placing Houghton University in the 1.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $23,400 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Houghton University in the 3.9 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Houghton University #1454 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Houghton University's concentration in business and professional fields.

Business Administration is the largest program with 37 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $60,393, at 0.9× the national benchmark for the field. Biology, General and Psychology, General represent substantial enrollment cohorts and contribute to the institution's overall earnings profile.

Communication and Media Studies graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $45,134 at 0.8× the national benchmark, while Teacher Education with 15 graduates rounds out the top programs. The concentration in Business — representing the institution's primary degree focus — aligns with stable, professional career pathways that support consistent long-term earnings growth.