Business Administration, Management and Operations at Stark State College

Stark State's business management associate degree produces graduates who earn slightly above the state median right out of the gate—$37,442 versus Ohio's $37,121—but then earnings slip to $35,987 by year four. That backward drift is the key concern here. Among Ohio's 62 programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile, which means you're in the upper half of options but nowhere near the $45,000+ range that top performers like Sinclair or Cincinnati State consistently deliver.

The debt picture is reasonable at $16,650, translating to manageable monthly payments on those first-year earnings. You're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44, which is workable—certainly not the crippling burden that derails some programs. But the real question is why earnings don't grow. This pattern suggests graduates may be landing in roles with limited advancement potential or possibly settling for positions that don't fully leverage their degree.

For a family weighing in-state options, this isn't a terrible choice, but it's clearly not optimized for earnings growth. If your student is business-minded and wants maximum return on their associate degree investment, those Cincinnati-area programs delivering $10,000 more annually deserve serious consideration. Stark State gets you into the workforce earning decent money quickly, but the ceiling appears lower than alternatives just a couple hours south.