Business Administration, Management and Operations at Sierra College

Sierra College's business administration associate's program shows concerning earnings outcomes that fall well short of both national and state standards, though the debt load remains manageable. First-year graduates earn $28,324—about $5,000 below the national median and slightly under California's median for this program. More troubling is the comparison to top California community colleges: Mendocino grads earn nearly double, while even Sacramento City College produces outcomes 19% higher. At the 40th percentile statewide, this program lands solidly in the bottom half of California options.

The silver lining is debt. At $9,500, it's lower than both state and national medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34 that's reasonable for an associate's degree. Graduates should be able to manage these payments even with modest starting salaries. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year.

For California families, this is a choice that trades financial safety for limited upside. If your student needs to stay local and wants minimal debt, Sierra College delivers on the latter. But if mobility is possible, other California community colleges offer substantially better earnings potential without dramatically higher debt loads. Sacramento City College, for instance, is nearby and shows $5,000 higher starting earnings with similar costs.