Business/Commerce (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Ventura College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$35,122

Est. from national median (6 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$21,375

Est. from national median (6 programs)

Analysis

A business certificate carrying an estimated $21,375 in debt—significantly above the national median of $15,205—sets a challenging starting point for a credential that peer programs suggest leads to around $35,000 in first-year earnings. For a program at a California community college, where costs typically run lower, this debt level raises questions about whether financial aid packages are translating into manageable borrowing for certificate-seekers.

Similar business certificate programs nationally cluster around the same earnings figure, suggesting this is less about Ventura College's specific outcomes and more about the earning ceiling for this credential level. Comparable programs in California actually show slightly lower earnings at around $32,000, which means the estimated figure here may be optimistic. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 isn't disastrous, but when you're starting near $35,000 annually, every dollar of debt matters more.

The practical issue is whether this certificate functions as a stepping stone or an endpoint. If your child plans to complete an associate's or bachelor's degree afterward, the debt accumulates. If this is the final credential, they're facing monthly loan payments on earnings that don't leave much cushion. Before committing, compare actual costs at Ventura against other local community college business programs—the debt estimate suggests either higher borrowing needs or gaps in aid that deserve scrutiny.

Where Ventura College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all business/commerce certificate's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Business/Commerce certificate's programs at peer institutions in California (50 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Ventura CollegeVentura	$1,416	$35,122*	—	$21,375*	—
Cabrillo CollegeAptos	$1,270	$31,951*	$55,144	—*	—
National Median	—	$35,122*	—	$15,205*	0.43

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with business/commerce graduates

Sales Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

$138,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Industrial Production Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Quality Control Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate quality assurance programs. Formulate quality control policies and control quality of laboratory and production efforts.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Geothermal Production Managers

Manage operations at geothermal power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor geothermal plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biofuels Production Managers

Manage biofuels production and plant operations. Collect and process information on plant production and performance, diagnose problems, and design corrective procedures.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biomass Power Plant Managers

Manage operations at biomass power generation facilities. Direct work activities at plant, including supervision of operations and maintenance staff.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Hydroelectric Production Managers

Manage operations at hydroelectric power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor hydroelectric plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Construction Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.

$106,980/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Administrative Services Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, and other office support services.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Facilities Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Security Managers

Direct an organization's security functions, including physical security and safety of employees and facilities.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Ventura College, approximately 25% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 6 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.