Business Administration, Management and Operations at Maranatha Baptist University

An estimated debt load of $38,807 for a two-year business degree is concerning, particularly when similar programs in Wisconsin suggest first-year earnings around $40,482. That near 1:1 debt-to-earnings ratio means your child would likely need to dedicate roughly their entire first year's salary just to cover educational debt—a steep burden for an associate's degree. Wisconsin's technical colleges, by contrast, typically graduate business students with around $16,000 in debt while producing comparable or even higher earnings.

The earnings estimate itself isn't alarming—it aligns with what other Wisconsin associate business programs report. But the value proposition hinges entirely on that debt figure. If Maranatha's actual costs mirror this estimate based on its other programs, you're looking at nearly triple the debt burden of typical technical college alternatives. Programs at Mid-State Technical College and Moraine Park Technical College show graduates earning $46,000-$47,000 annually with significantly less debt, making them far more efficient paths to the same career outcomes.

Before committing, get concrete numbers directly from Maranatha's financial aid office about what your family would actually pay. If their costs are substantially lower than this $39,000 estimate, the program becomes more viable. But if the debt burden is indeed this high, Wisconsin's technical colleges offer a much clearer path to financial stability in business careers.