Business/Commerce at North Central State College

One year out, comparable business associate's programs in Ohio suggest earnings around $38,900—solidly in line with the state median for this credential. But here's what complicates the picture: four years after graduation, actual reported earnings for this program drop to $33,400. That's a backward slide of roughly $5,500, unusual for business degrees which typically see earnings grow as graduates gain experience. Either many graduates step away from business roles, or the local job market in the Mansfield area constrains wage growth in ways that peer programs elsewhere in Ohio don't face.

The estimated debt load of $20,600 sits well above the national median of $13,400 for business associate's degrees, though it matches what other Ohio community colleges typically carry. With first-year earnings around $38,900, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53 is manageable on paper—about half a year's salary. But that four-year earnings dip raises questions about whether this trajectory holds, making that debt harder to service than initial numbers suggest.

For families weighing this option, the core concern isn't the credential itself but whether this specific program leads to stable employment that justifies borrowing $7,000 more than the national norm. If your child has access to programs with reported first-year earnings above $40,000—like James A. Rhodes State College's $45,200—those stronger outcomes might offset a longer commute or different campus fit.