Location: Berkeley, CA•In-State Tuition: $1,148•Out-of-State Tuition: $8,684
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$36,591
Est. from national median (124 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$11,000
Est. from national median (103 programs)

Analysis

Based on comparable business programs nationally, this associate's degree appears positioned in the middle of the pack, with estimated first-year earnings around $36,600 against roughly $11,000 in debt. That 0.30 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment—graduates would owe about 30 cents for every dollar earned in year one. For context, California's business associate programs show wide variation, from over $43,000 at DeVry to under $27,000 at some community colleges, making Berkeley City College's estimated outcome fairly typical for the state.

The limitation here is significant: both the earnings and debt figures are national estimates, not actual tracked outcomes from Berkeley City College's graduates. The program may perform better or worse than these peer-based projections suggest. What we can say is that similar programs across the country tend to produce manageable debt loads relative to early earnings, and California's median for this credential ($35,000) aligns closely with the national figure.

For a two-year degree, these estimated numbers point to a reasonable launching pad if your student plans to work immediately or transfer to complete a bachelor's. The debt burden shouldn't be crushing even on entry-level business wages. The uncertainty around actual outcomes means you'll want to press the school directly about their graduates' employment rates and whether local employers actively recruit from this program.

Where Berkeley City College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all business/commerce associates's programs nationally

Berkeley City College (estimated ±10%)Other business/commerce programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Business/Commerce associates's programs at peer institutions in California (78 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Berkeley City CollegeBerkeley$1,148$36,591*—$11,000*—
DeVry University-CaliforniaOntario$17,488$43,716*—$30,444*0.70
Victor Valley CollegeVictorville$1,425$26,272*$36,492$5,250*0.20
National Median—$36,591*—$13,437*0.37
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with business/commerce graduates

Sales Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

$138,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Industrial Production Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Quality Control Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate quality assurance programs. Formulate quality control policies and control quality of laboratory and production efforts.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Geothermal Production Managers

Manage operations at geothermal power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor geothermal plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biofuels Production Managers

Manage biofuels production and plant operations. Collect and process information on plant production and performance, diagnose problems, and design corrective procedures.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biomass Power Plant Managers

Manage operations at biomass power generation facilities. Direct work activities at plant, including supervision of operations and maintenance staff.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Hydroelectric Production Managers

Manage operations at hydroelectric power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor hydroelectric plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Construction Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.

$106,980/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Administrative Services Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, and other office support services.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Facilities Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Security Managers

Direct an organization's security functions, including physical security and safety of employees and facilities.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Berkeley City College, approximately 13% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 124 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.