Business Administration, Management and Operations at Pasadena City College

The numbers here tell a concerning story, but the small sample size makes it hard to know if they're representative. That initial $20,816 earnings figure is significantly below both California's state median ($29,222) and the national benchmark ($33,977), landing in just the 5th percentile nationally for business associate's programs. Even within California, this ranks only in the 25th percentile—meaning three-quarters of similar programs in the state report better outcomes.

The positive news is the dramatic earnings growth to $44,411 by year four, which actually exceeds the top programs in the state. The debt load is also manageable at $5,681, well below both state and national averages. However, that stunning 113% earnings jump raises questions: Are graduates simply taking longer to find appropriate work? Are they transferring to four-year programs and earning bachelor's degrees? With fewer than 30 graduates tracked, we can't distinguish between a genuine delayed-success pattern and statistical noise.

For parents, this data suggests caution. While the low debt reduces financial risk, the weak first-year outcomes—even by California community college standards—warrant investigation. Contact the program directly to understand what's driving that initial earnings gap and whether their recent graduates' experiences match this limited dataset. The four-year recovery is promising, but you need more information to understand what's really happening here.