Business Administration, Management and Operations at Roanoke-Chowan Community College

When comparable business administration programs in North Carolina carry an estimated $21,232 in debt, that's $7,000 more than the national median for this credential—and the estimated first-year earnings of $35,246 barely exceed what graduates nationally earn with less debt. This debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60 means you're looking at roughly seven months of gross income just to cover the borrowing, assuming every dollar goes toward repayment.

The earnings estimate itself sits right at the state median, but several NC community colleges with reported outcomes show their business administration graduates earning $38,000 to $41,000 in their first year. That $3,000 to $6,000 gap matters when debt loads are this high. The 34% Pell grant rate suggests many families here need this investment to pay off quickly, and the math is tight enough to warrant caution.

Given that both the earnings and debt figures come from peer institutions rather than Roanoke-Chowan's actual graduates, you're making decisions with considerable uncertainty. If your family can minimize borrowing—through grants, work-study, or part-time enrollment—the risk becomes more manageable. But at the estimated debt level, you'd want stronger evidence that this specific program delivers outcomes competitive with the top-performing community colleges in the state.