Business Administration, Management and Operations at Columbia Basin College

Columbia Basin College's business associate degree produces first-year earnings of $42,127—substantially above both the state median ($35,022) and national median ($33,977) for similar programs. This puts graduates ahead of most comparable programs nationwide and well above what students at other Washington community colleges typically earn in this field.

The estimated debt load of around $16,000, based on comparable programs in Washington, translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38. That's manageable territory—graduates would owe roughly five months of their first-year salary. While we can't verify the exact debt figure for this specific program due to small graduate cohorts, the earnings advantage here provides meaningful cushion even if actual borrowing runs somewhat higher than the state average.

The real question is whether these strong first-year earnings hold up over time. Business associate degrees can serve as both terminal credentials and stepping stones to bachelor's programs, and career trajectories vary widely depending on which path students take. Given the solid starting salary and reasonable estimated debt picture, this program appears positioned to deliver positive returns, though students should understand they're working with peer-program estimates rather than verified outcomes from this specific cohort.