Business Administration, Management and Operations at CUNY Brooklyn College

An undergraduate certificate in business from Brooklyn College comes with an estimated debt load of $14,816—roughly the national norm for this credential—but the estimated first-year earnings of around $39,000 warrant a careful look. For a CUNY school serving a majority low-income student body (56% receive Pell grants), that debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 means graduates would likely need to dedicate nearly 40% of their gross first-year income just to manage typical 10-year loan payments. That's a heavy burden for what amounts to a credential below a bachelor's degree.

The challenge here is that business certificates occupy an uncertain space in the labor market. While peer programs nationally cluster around these same figures, they don't typically command the salary premium that justifies significant borrowing. Brooklyn's strong job market offers opportunities, but employers increasingly expect four-year degrees for management-track positions. If your child already has workplace experience and needs specific skills to advance, this might make sense—especially if they can minimize borrowing. But as a standalone credential for someone starting out, the estimated earnings don't provide much cushion against the debt.

The bottom line: treat this as a targeted upskilling move rather than a primary credential, and only if keeping total borrowing well below that $14,816 estimate. Without clearer evidence of what Brooklyn College graduates specifically achieve, conservative financial planning is essential.