Business Operations Support and Assistant Services at Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo

With fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, these numbers carry significant uncertainty, but here's what stands out: Bryant & Stratton's certificate grads earn $22,570 their first year—exactly matching New York's median but falling $2,500 below the national average. That 35th percentile national ranking tells the real story: this program underperforms most comparable certificates nationwide, though it sits right at the 60th percentile within New York, where earnings for this credential appear generally lower. The $14,012 debt load is actually higher than typical for this quick-turnaround certificate, landing in the 14th percentile (meaning 86% of programs leave students with less debt).

The 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe roughly 7.5 months of their first-year income—manageable but not impressive for a certificate program that should theoretically minimize both time and cost. With two-thirds of students receiving Pell grants, this serves a population that needs efficient pathways to employment, and the debt burden doesn't appear excessive in absolute terms. However, the earnings outcome doesn't represent a strong immediate return.

For families considering this certificate: you're looking at a credential that gets you to median New York outcomes but leaves you trailing most programs nationally. If staying in Buffalo is the plan and your student needs immediate workforce entry, this provides a baseline credential without catastrophic debt. Just know that similar programs elsewhere typically deliver better first-year earnings with lower borrowing requirements.