Business Administration, Management and Operations at Gateway Community and Technical College

Gateway Community and Technical College graduates with associate degrees in business management earn nearly $44,000 within their first year—placing them in the 92nd percentile nationally and well above the $34,000 typical for this program across the country. That's a remarkable outcome for a two-year degree. Among Kentucky programs, Gateway sits solidly in the middle of the pack (60th percentile), but with debt roughly $3,000 below the state average, the overall financial package is compelling.

The catch is straightforward: earnings stay essentially flat between years one and four at around $43,000. While some graduates likely move into higher-paying roles not captured in the data, this pattern suggests the degree may open doors to stable employment rather than a steep career trajectory. Still, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31, most graduates should be able to manage their loans comfortably—that's roughly four months of salary, payable over a typical repayment term.

For families prioritizing quick workforce entry at manageable cost, Gateway delivers exactly what a community college should: solid starting wages that significantly exceed national norms, with debt you can actually afford to repay. The flat earnings curve means this is best viewed as a path to immediate employment stability rather than rapid career advancement, but at this price point and with these starting salaries, that's a perfectly reasonable tradeoff.