Business Administration, Management and Operations at Glendale Community College

The debt picture here looks remarkably manageable—an estimated $8,917 borrowed for a credential that similar Arizona business programs suggest leads to first-year earnings around $42,749. That 0.21 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would typically owe less than three months of gross income, well below the threshold that financial advisors flag as concerning. For comparison, the typical business associate's program nationally saddles students with $13,980 in debt while producing median earnings of just $33,977.

What makes these estimates particularly relevant is how they're derived: from a small handful of comparable Arizona community college programs, all serving similar student populations in the same regional job market. The four-year earnings figure of $44,423 is actual data from Glendale graduates, suggesting modest but real income growth. That trajectory aligns with what you'd expect from an associate's degree that opens doors to entry-level business roles—administrative assistants, office managers, sales coordinators—rather than high-earning specialized positions.

The uncertainty here cuts both ways. Glendale's actual outcomes could be better or worse than these peer-based estimates suggest, and the small sample size that necessitated data suppression means fewer graduates to benchmark against. But the underlying economics—low debt, reasonable starting salaries for a two-year program, and quick degree completion—create a foundation that works even if the actual numbers drift somewhat from these projections.