Business Administration, Management and Operations at Jamestown Community College

Jamestown Community College graduates earn roughly middle-of-the-pack nationally but outperform most New York community college business programs. At $32,920 in first-year earnings, graduates land above 60% of similar programs in the state—a meaningful advantage when most New York peers produce lower outcomes despite comparable or higher debt loads. The $8,750 in typical borrowing is genuinely low, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.27 that beats 87% of programs nationally.

The main limitation? Earnings barely move after graduation, growing just 4% over four years to $34,236. That's not unusual for associate's degrees in business—these credentials often lead to administrative or retail management roles with structured pay scales—but it means graduates shouldn't bank on significant salary progression without additional education or strategic job changes. The moderate sample size suggests consistent outcomes, not statistical noise.

For families weighing two-year business programs in western New York, this represents a pragmatic choice: minimal debt, faster entry to the workforce than a bachelor's degree, and better-than-average positioning within the state. Just understand you're trading four years of advancement potential for immediate employment at a livable wage with very manageable debt.