Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee Area Technical College's entrepreneurial certificate carries an estimated debt load of $18,788—below both the Wisconsin median ($21,092) and what peer programs nationally typically require. That's a meaningful advantage when first-year earnings hover around $41,700, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 that should be manageable for most graduates.

The challenge is that these figures are drawn from comparable programs nationwide rather than MATC's actual outcomes, so there's inherent uncertainty about how this specific program performs. What we can say is that entrepreneurship certificates generally produce modest starting salaries across the board—even the top-performing program in Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) reports median earnings of just $42,545. This suggests the credential itself may not command premium wages in traditional employment, which makes sense given that many entrepreneurs build equity and income over time rather than through immediate salary gains.

For a student planning to launch their own business, the lower debt burden here matters more than the starting salary figure. With 41% of MATC students receiving Pell grants, keeping borrowing under $19,000 for business skills training could be worthwhile if your child has a clear venture in mind. If they're seeking a certificate primarily for wage employment, though, the estimated earnings suggest limited immediate return.