Business Administration, Management and Operations at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College

At $13,925 in estimated debt, this program appears to track closely with state and national norms—Michigan's median for business associate degrees sits at $14,070. The estimated first-year earnings of $34,837, drawn from similar programs across the state, similarly mirrors what's typical. That 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would need to dedicate roughly 40% of one year's income to clear their debt, a manageable threshold for an associate degree.

The challenge lies in context. Top-performing Michigan community colleges are placing business graduates into jobs paying $41,000 to $43,000—roughly $7,000 more annually than peer programs suggest is typical at this level. Whether KBOCC's specific outcomes align more closely with these higher performers or settle near the state average remains unclear due to insufficient graduate data. For a school where 52% of students receive Pell grants, that gap matters considerably for families counting on immediate returns.

Given the uncertainty, focus on what's verifiable: the local job market in L'Anse and nearby communities. If your child already has employment connections or can secure internships through the college's tribal network, the modest estimated debt becomes less risky. Without those connections, students might need to relocate for better-paying positions, which complicates the return-on-investment calculation for a program where the earnings data remains, by necessity, an educated guess.