Business Administration, Management and Operations at North Central Texas College

With first-year earnings of $26,503, North Central Texas College's business management program places graduates nearly $7,000 below the Texas median for associate's programs in this field. That's a meaningful gap—among 63 Texas schools offering this degree, NCTC ranks in just the 25th percentile. Nearby community colleges like Dallas College ($42,440) and Lone Star ($41,126) produce substantially higher first-year earnings, suggesting students have stronger alternatives within reasonable commuting distance.

The program does show solid earnings growth of 36% by year four, bringing graduates to $35,977, and the debt load of $21,136 is moderate relative to state norms. However, that improved trajectory still leaves graduates trailing the median by several thousand dollars. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80 is manageable but not impressive for a community college program where costs should be the primary draw.

An important caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making it less reliable than programs with larger samples. That said, the consistent underperformance relative to comparable Texas programs suggests this isn't just statistical noise. Unless NCTC specifically serves your child's geographic constraints, other Dallas-area community colleges appear to offer better returns on the same credential. The savings from attending locally would need to be substantial to justify accepting lower earning potential.