Business Operations Support and Assistant Services at CET-Salinas

CET-Salinas manages to deliver one of the better aspects of this business operations credential—low debt—but stumbles on the outcome that matters most. At $23,009 in first-year earnings, graduates land below both the California median ($25,627) and national average, placing them in just the 40th percentile among state programs. That's roughly $11,000 less annually than what Central Coast College graduates earn, though admittedly that's an exceptional outlier. More telling is the gap against mid-tier programs like San Joaquin Valley College, where graduates earn about $4,000 more per year.

The positive here is genuine: graduates leave with just $5,894 in debt, representing only 26% of first-year earnings and far less than the $9,500 typical for this credential nationwide. That's manageable debt by any measure. Earnings do show modest growth to $26,671 by year four, which narrows but doesn't close the gap with state benchmarks.

For a family considering this program, the math is straightforward. You'll avoid the debt trap that burdens many certificate programs, but your earning potential starts lower and stays lower than what similar programs in California deliver. If this school's location or specific employer connections make sense for your situation, the minimal debt softens the risk. Otherwise, several California programs offer meaningfully better starting salaries without substantially more debt.