Business Administration, Management and Operations at State Technical College of Missouri

The small sample size here makes it hard to draw firm conclusions, but the numbers available suggest State Technical College's business associate's degree leaves graduates trailing their peers. First-year earnings of $30,368 fall $2,000 below Missouri's median and nearly $4,000 below the national benchmark—landing this program in just the 32nd percentile nationally. Among Missouri's 20 business associate's programs, you're looking at below-average performance, with graduates earning about 8% less than the state median.

The $10,000 debt load is the bright spot: it's roughly $3,000 below both state and national averages. That lower borrowing keeps the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.33, meaning graduates owe about four months of their first year's salary. Still, when Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City graduates earn $38,554 and Ozarks Technical grads make $34,644—both presumably with similar debt levels—it's worth asking why State Tech's outcomes lag so far behind.

With fewer than 30 graduates in this data, these figures could shift dramatically with a larger sample. If your child is considering this program, the key question is whether State Tech offers specific advantages—location, scheduling flexibility, or particular industry connections in the Linn area—that justify accepting earnings that run 20% below what top Missouri community colleges deliver.