Business Administration, Management and Operations (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Mt San Antonio College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$39,085

Est. from national median (76 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$14,816

Est. from national median (72 programs)

Analysis

California's business certificate programs typically produce substantially higher earnings—$52,633 at the median—than what comparable programs nationally suggest graduates from Mt San Antonio College might earn. That gap of over $13,000 matters significantly when evaluating a certificate that, based on similar programs, carries nearly $15,000 in debt.

The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 appears manageable on paper, but context changes the picture. Nearby Cerritos College's business certificate graduates earn $56,738, while even University of Phoenix-California shows stronger outcomes at $48,528. The limited data here means we're looking at national benchmarks rather than Mt SAC's actual graduate outcomes, and those national figures trail California's business education landscape considerably. For a community college serving 34% Pell-eligible students, this debt load—if accurate—seems unusually high compared to California's state median of just $10,474 for the same credential.

The practical concern: if this program's actual outcomes track closer to national patterns than California's stronger state benchmarks, you're financing a sub-$40,000 starting salary with debt that would take a substantial portion of first-year earnings to retire. Before enrolling, get Mt SAC's actual employment data for recent certificate completers in this specific program—not estimates from peer schools.

Where Mt San Antonio College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all business administration, management and operations certificate's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Business Administration, Management and Operations certificate's programs at peer institutions in California (121 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut	$1,364	$39,085*	—	$14,816*	—
Cerritos CollegeNorwalk	$1,364	$56,738*	$49,556	$8,021*	0.14
University of Phoenix-CaliforniaOntario	—	$48,528*	$65,468	$12,928*	0.27
National Median	—	$39,085*	—	$14,699*	0.38

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with business administration, management and operations graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these fields.

$167,740/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers

Define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.

$167,740/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Financial Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities, and other financial activities of a branch, office, or department of an establishment.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Treasurers and Controllers

Direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Investment Fund Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors.

$161,700/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Natural Sciences Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Research Coordinators

Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Water Resource Specialists

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Compensation and Benefits Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization.

$140,360/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Human Resources Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

$140,030/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Sales Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

$138,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Mt San Antonio College, approximately 34% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 76 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.