Marketing at Clackamas Community College

A 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests this program produces manageable debt loads relative to what marketing associates typically earn. With estimated debt around $15,600—below the national median of $19,149 for this credential—and first-year earnings aligning with the $41,955 national benchmark, the financial fundamentals appear workable. That debt translates to monthly payments of roughly $175 over ten years, which represents a reasonable bite out of a $42,000 salary.

The challenge is that we're working entirely with estimates here. Because too few graduates from this specific program have data available, these figures come from comparable marketing associate programs nationally. That means we can't know whether Clackamas's curriculum, employer connections, or local job market produce better or worse outcomes than peers. Oregon has eight schools offering marketing associate degrees, but none have reported data, leaving parents without clear state-level context.

For a community college program with relatively low debt exposure, the risk profile seems acceptable even given the uncertainty. If your student plans to stay in the Portland metro area and work in marketing, sales, or related business roles, this represents a lower-cost entry point. Just recognize you're making this decision with borrowed data—the actual outcomes for Clackamas graduates may differ meaningfully from these national patterns.