Business Administration, Management and Operations at Northeast Community College

The numbers here tell a troubling story, but the small sample size means they might not be reliable. Graduates start at just $24,497—landing this program in the 5th percentile nationally and 25th percentile in Nebraska, where the median for similar programs is $33,906. That's roughly $9,400 below what graduates at Metropolitan Community College earn and nearly $10,000 below the state median. While earnings do jump 63% by year four to reach $39,907, you're still looking at four years to get to what many comparable programs deliver immediately.

The $10,500 debt load is manageable relative to that first-year salary, but it doesn't offset the earnings disadvantage. When other Nebraska community colleges are producing business grads who earn $10,000-$19,000 more right out of the gate, the question isn't whether the debt is affordable—it's whether you're getting competitive preparation for the job market. The strong earnings growth suggests some graduates do find their footing, but starting this far behind puts your child at a significant disadvantage compared to peers at other state schools.

Given the small cohort tracked here, these figures might be outliers. However, if this data reflects the typical experience, other Nebraska community colleges appear to offer substantially better returns for business students. Metropolitan and Southeast Community College both show significantly stronger first-year outcomes without materially higher debt.