Business Operations Support and Assistant Services at Dallas College

Dallas College graduates earn $30,228 one year after completing this business operations certificate—that's $12,000 more than the typical Texas graduate in this field and places this program in the 95th percentile statewide. With debt of just $18,456 (meaning graduates owe roughly 7 months of earnings), this looks like one of the strongest values among Texas certificate programs. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 beats most bachelor's degrees.

The concerning trend is what happens next: by year four, earnings drop to $24,132, a 20% decline that's unusual for career-focused certificates. This could reflect graduates moving between jobs, shifting to part-time work, or the limited advancement opportunities in administrative support roles. Still, even with this decline, Dallas College graduates are earning more than the Texas median for this program ($18,214).

The small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates—means these numbers could shift significantly with more data. But for parents looking at affordable paths to immediate employment in Dallas's robust administrative job market, this certificate delivers strong starting earnings with manageable debt. Just understand that this credential is designed to get someone working quickly, not necessarily to launch a steep earnings trajectory. If your child needs to start earning while building toward other goals, this could work.