Business Administration, Management and Operations at Shoreline Community College

Estimated first-year earnings of $35,023 land right at the state median for business administration associate's programs in Washington, suggesting this degree performs about as expected for the region. With debt around $16,000—slightly above the national median but typical for Washington community colleges—graduates would face a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46, meaning debt equals roughly five and a half months of gross pay.

The challenge with Shoreline's program is the limited graduate data makes it harder to assess how it truly stacks up. Other Washington business programs show wide variation, from Columbia Basin's $42,000 first-year earnings down to Tacoma Community College's $20,000, a spread that reflects different local job markets and student outcomes. Shoreline likely falls somewhere in the middle of this range, but without actual outcome data, you're betting on the program performing at least at the state average.

For parents weighing this investment, the estimated numbers suggest reasonable value if your student needs an associate's degree to enter business roles in the Seattle area. The debt load won't be crushing, and the credential should provide access to entry-level positions. However, recognize you're working with educated guesses rather than proven outcomes—if your student has options at schools with stronger reported data (like Columbia Basin), those might offer more certainty about return on investment.