Business/Commerce at Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs

Colorado Technical University's business degree carries significant financial risk that parents should carefully weigh. Graduates leave with $51,764 in debt—more than double both the national and Colorado medians for business programs—while earning just $37,212 in their first year. That means graduates need roughly 17 months of gross income just to cover their debt, and the situation worsens over time as earnings actually decline to $35,304 by year four. This pattern is highly unusual and troubling for a business degree, which typically offers steady earning growth.

The program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally and the 40th percentile within Colorado. To put this in perspective: Colorado State University Pueblo graduates earn $43,067 annually (22% more) while typically carrying less than half the debt. Even Adams State University, the lowest-earning comparison school in Colorado, produces better outcomes. The high Pell grant rate (68%) shows CTU serves many students from modest backgrounds, which makes the debt burden particularly concerning.

For the cost of this program, a student could attend a Colorado public university with far better earning potential and manageable debt. Unless there are extraordinary circumstances requiring CTU's specific format, families should explore other Colorado business programs that offer better return on investment.