Business Administration, Management and Operations at Florida State College at Jacksonville

The earnings trajectory here tells a puzzling story that deserves careful consideration. Florida State College at Jacksonville's business associate degree graduates start strong at $41,507—placing them in the 82nd percentile nationally—but see income drop to $32,655 by year four. With fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, it's unclear whether this reflects typical career paths or just statistical noise from tracking a handful of people.

The $16,356 debt load sits comfortably below Florida's median of $20,063 for similar programs, making the initial debt burden manageable at a 0.39 ratio to first-year earnings. What's harder to explain is why earnings would decline 21% over three years when most associate degree holders see modest gains as they establish themselves professionally. This could indicate graduates using the degree as a stepping stone while pursuing further education, or it might simply be an artifact of the small sample creating unreliable numbers.

For an anxious parent, the key question is whether that strong first-year number reflects reality or chance. The 60th percentile ranking within Florida suggests the program performs reasonably well among state peers, but you're essentially betting on incomplete information. If your student plans to work immediately after graduation and the $41,507 figure holds true, this is affordable preparation for business roles. Just recognize that the four-year earnings decline makes this program's long-term value impossible to assess with confidence.