Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degree) at Community College of Aurora

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$40,016

Est. from CO median (5 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$12,000

Est. from national median (291 programs)

Analysis

A business associate's degree in Colorado can lead to vastly different outcomes—from nearly $50,000 at Arapahoe Community College to under $30,000 at Pikes Peak State College. For Community College of Aurora, the picture relies entirely on estimates from peer programs, since the graduate sample is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes. Based on comparable Colorado programs, first-year earnings around $40,000 would place this squarely in the middle of the state's range, matching what graduates typically earn from similar community college business programs nearby.

The estimated $12,000 debt load—derived from national community college data—looks manageable against those potential earnings, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.30 that's well below the concerning 1.0 threshold. This is notably lower than Colorado's typical $26,625 median debt for business associate's programs, though remember this figure is an estimate, not what CCA graduates actually owe.

The practical challenge: without school-specific data, you're essentially betting that this program performs like its peers. The state's business associate's programs show a $20,000 earnings spread, and there's no way to know where CCA actually falls. If you're committed to a business degree in Aurora, the estimated debt appears reasonable—but understand you're making this decision with limited visibility into what graduates from this specific program actually experience.

Where Community College of Aurora Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all business administration, management and operations associates's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Colorado

Business Administration, Management and Operations associates's programs at peer institutions in Colorado (16 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Community College of AuroraAurora	$4,030	$40,016*	—	$12,000*	—
Arapahoe Community CollegeLittleton	$4,308	$49,531*	$40,475	$22,144*	0.45
Colorado Christian UniversityLakewood	$39,266	$41,841*	—	$32,605*	0.78
Front Range Community CollegeWestminster	$4,740	$40,016*	$27,863	—*	—
Colorado Technical University-Colorado SpringsColorado Springs	$12,760	$32,525*	$38,600	$26,625*	0.82
Pikes Peak State CollegeColorado Springs	$4,302	$29,393*	$42,830	—*	—
National Median	—	$33,977*	—	$13,980*	0.41

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with business administration, management and operations graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these fields.

$167,740/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers

Define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.

$167,740/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Financial Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities, and other financial activities of a branch, office, or department of an establishment.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Treasurers and Controllers

Direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Investment Fund Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Natural Sciences Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Research Coordinators

Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Water Resource Specialists

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Compensation and Benefits Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization.

$140,360/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Human Resources Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

$140,030/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Sales Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

$138,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Community College of Aurora, approximately 16% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 5 similar programs in CO. Actual outcomes may vary.