Business/Commerce at Butler Community College

A debt load of $12,699 for an associate degree that leads to estimated first-year earnings of $36,591 creates a manageable 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates would owe roughly four months of salary. While we don't have Butler's actual earnings figures (suppressed due to small sample size), comparable business associate programs nationally suggest starting salaries in this range are typical. The more encouraging signal comes from year four: reported earnings of $42,758 indicate graduates gain meaningful traction after entering the workforce, suggesting employers value this credential for entry-level business roles.

The debt picture looks reasonable for Kansas. Butler's $12,699 matches the state median exactly and sits below the national benchmark of $13,437. For a community college serving a substantial population of Pell-eligible students (31%), keeping borrowing contained while providing a credential that appears to support steady income growth represents the value proposition many families seek from two-year programs.

The practical question is whether your student plans to continue to a bachelor's degree or enter the workforce after two years. If Butler serves as a stepping stone to a four-year business program elsewhere, this looks like an affordable way to complete general education requirements. For those stopping at the associate level, the year-four earnings suggest decent career prospects, though starting at an estimated $36,591 requires realistic expectations about those first years.