Business Administration, Management and Operations at Ellsworth Community College

A business certificate that costs an estimated $14,816 and leads to first-year earnings around $39,000 positions itself squarely in the middle of the national pack—but well above what most Iowa programs deliver. While both the earnings and debt figures here are derived from comparable certificate programs nationwide (since Ellsworth's graduate cohort was too small for the DOE to publish), the contrast with Iowa's typical outcomes is worth noting: similar programs across the state produce median earnings of just $31,515, with considerably higher debt loads averaging over $23,000.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 suggests manageable repayment if those national benchmarks hold true locally. That's less than five months of gross income—a reasonable burden for a credential that can typically be completed in under two years. Even Iowa's top-performing business certificate programs, like University of Iowa's at $34,012, fall short of the national median this estimate is based on, which may reflect differences in local employment markets or program focus.

The real question is whether Ellsworth's actual graduates mirror these national patterns or trend closer to Iowa's lower state averages. With no school-specific data available, parents are essentially betting on which benchmark proves more predictive. If the program connects students to regional employers or delivers skills that command above-state-average wages, the investment makes sense. If not, you're potentially paying for outcomes closer to $31,000—which changes the math considerably.