Business Operations Support and Assistant Services at Southern Careers Institute-Brownsville

The $18,000 starting salary from this certificate program is troubling even by Texas standards—it matches the state median for this type of program, but that's only because Texas community colleges consistently underperform the national benchmark of $25,000. More concerning is the earnings trajectory: graduates actually see their pay decline slightly over four years rather than grow, suggesting they're getting stuck in entry-level positions without advancement opportunities.

The program's value proposition becomes even shakier when you look at what's possible elsewhere. Houston Community College graduates with the same certificate earn nearly double ($37,000), while Dallas College produces $30,000 earners. Southern Careers Institute charges less debt than most ($6,861 versus $9,500 nationally), which matters for a population where 77% receive Pell grants, but lower debt doesn't fix fundamentally low earnings that may not even cover basic living expenses in Brownsville.

At under $18,000 annually, graduates will likely need additional income sources or credentials to make ends meet. If your child is set on this field, they'd be better served at one of Texas's stronger community colleges where the same time investment yields substantially higher pay. This particular certificate appears to lead to jobs that don't require—or reward—formal training.