Business Administration, Management and Operations at Gogebic Community College

What's notable about this program is how little visibility we have—both earnings and debt figures are estimates pulled from other Michigan community colleges because too few graduates exist to report actual outcomes. When a program can't generate enough data for the Department of Education to publish, it tells you something about scale and local demand.

Based on comparable programs across Michigan, graduates might expect around $35,000 in first-year earnings against roughly $14,000 in debt—a manageable 0.40 ratio that aligns closely with national benchmarks for business associate degrees. That's theoretically sound, but similar programs at larger Michigan community colleges like Macomb and Lansing are producing graduates who earn $43,000+, suggesting that stronger local job markets or better employer connections can make a meaningful difference in outcomes for the same credential.

The practical challenge here is location. Ironwood sits in Michigan's remote Upper Peninsula, far from the state's major business centers where business administration graduates typically find their best opportunities. For a student planning to stay local after graduation, the small program size might reflect the limited career landscape they'll face. If they're willing to relocate to Lansing, Grand Rapids, or metro Detroit after completing the degree, they'd likely fare better—but at that point, starting at a community college in those markets might make more strategic sense.