Business Administration, Management and Operations at Northcentral Technical College

The numbers here tell a puzzling story that deserves scrutiny, especially given the very small sample size. That exceptional $60,405 first-year figure—ranking in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th in Wisconsin—drops dramatically to $39,431 by year four, falling below even the state median. With fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these earnings might reflect just a handful of students who took very different career paths, making it hard to know what's typical.

The modest $9,840 debt load is genuinely encouraging and falls well below both Wisconsin's $13,300 median and the national average for business certificates. That creates a solid safety net regardless of earnings trajectory. However, that 35% earnings decline raises questions about whether early graduates are taking interim jobs before moving on, whether the program prepares students for roles that don't offer advancement, or whether the small sample is simply producing statistical noise.

Given the tiny cohort size, I'd want to see whether this pattern holds over multiple graduating classes before drawing firm conclusions. The low debt means there's limited downside risk, but the volatile earnings picture suggests this certificate may work very differently for different students. If your child is considering this route, understanding what happened to those year-four earners—and whether the program has since adjusted—matters more than these averages suggest.