Business Administration, Management and Operations at Ohio Christian University

Something unusual is happening with Ohio Christian's business associate's program—graduates start strong at $47,611 (beating 95% of similar programs nationally), but earnings plummet to $32,435 by year four. That's a 32% drop that demands explanation, though the very small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift dramatically with just a few different students included.

The initial outcomes look promising: first-year earnings rank in the 80th percentile among Ohio's 62 similar programs, and the debt load of $22,950 is manageable relative to that early earning power. However, the sharp earnings decline raises questions about the durability of those first jobs. Are graduates initially finding roles that don't lead to advancement? Are they working while finishing bachelor's degrees? With such limited data, it's impossible to know whether this pattern is real or statistical noise.

For an anxious parent, the core issue is uncertainty. The early numbers suggest graduates can find decent-paying work quickly, but you'd want to understand where those first jobs typically lead before committing. Given the small program size, talking directly to recent alumni or the career services office would be more informative than relying solely on these numbers. The debt is reasonable enough that it won't become crushing even if earnings stay at the lower level, but this isn't the clear win the first-year number might suggest.