Business Administration, Management and Operations at Red Rocks Community College

Red Rocks' business associate degree faces a straightforward math problem: with an estimated $12,000 in debt and first-year earnings around $40,000 based on peer Colorado programs, graduates would be carrying about 30% of their initial salary in loans. That's manageable debt by any standard, and the four-year earnings figure of $50,605 suggests decent upward trajectory. However, these figures come from similar Colorado programs rather than Red Rocks' own graduates, so there's inherent uncertainty about how this specific program performs.

The earnings estimates align with Colorado's typical outcomes for business associate degrees, which cluster around $40,000 initially. What's encouraging is that Red Rocks appears to keep costs contained—the estimated $12,000 debt is roughly half the state median of $26,625 for similar programs and below the national benchmark too. For families worried about whether an associate degree justifies taking on debt, that lower borrowing requirement matters considerably, especially when paired with earnings that meet state averages.

The practical question is whether you're comfortable making this investment based on estimates rather than this school's track record. The debt load is light enough that even if outcomes fall short of projections, graduates shouldn't face crippling payments. If your student can complete this degree with minimal borrowing and sees it as a stepping stone—either to immediate employment or bachelor's completion—the risk looks reasonable.