Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at Lewis and Clark Community College

The $18,788 in estimated debt here puts you squarely at the national median for entrepreneurial certificates, but peer programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $41,685—a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 that's manageable on paper but depends entirely on what type of business venture a graduate pursues. The challenge with entrepreneurship training is that outcomes vary wildly: someone launching a successful business can far exceed these figures, while someone working entry-level before starting a venture might struggle initially with loan payments.

What makes this estimate particularly uncertain is that entrepreneurship outcomes are notoriously hard to predict from degree data alone. The $41,685 figure from comparable programs nationally likely captures graduates in various situations—some running businesses, others in traditional employment—but doesn't tell you which path your child would follow or how quickly business income would materialize. With 27 schools offering similar programs in Illinois but none reporting actual outcomes, there's no state-level data to suggest whether Lewis and Clark's approach differs meaningfully from competitors.

The practical question is whether nearly $19,000 in debt makes sense when your child could potentially learn similar skills through business experience, online resources, or mentorship at lower cost. If they're using this certificate as a structured entry point while working or testing a business idea, the debt might be justified. If they're taking it on faith that the credential alone will launch a viable business, that's riskier than the numbers alone suggest.