Business Administration, Management and Operations at Northwest Florida State College

Northwest Florida State College's business administration program faces a significant challenge: graduates earn well below what business majors typically make, both nationally (11th percentile) and within Florida (25th percentile). That first-year salary of $35,809 trails the state median by nearly $10,000 and sits almost $20,000 behind Florida's top programs. For a degree that's supposed to open doors in the business world, these starting numbers are sobering.

The silver lining is genuine momentum. Earnings jump 38% by year four to $49,324, effectively catching up to what many peers earn right out of the gate. Combined with exceptionally low debt—just $11,341, which ranks in the 95th percentile nationally—graduates aren't trapped by monthly payments while their careers gain traction. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 means someone could theoretically pay off their loans in under four months of gross income.

The calculation here depends on your timeline. If your child needs immediate earning power after graduation, this program underperforms. But if they can weather a few lean years while building experience, the low debt burden provides breathing room that many business graduates don't have. Just understand they'll likely start in lower-tier positions than peers from Florida's stronger programs, with the hope of climbing faster later.