Business Administration, Management and Operations at Wake Technical Community College

Wake Technical's business management associate's delivers solid starting pay at $37,124—roughly $4,000 above the national median for this degree—but the numbers essentially flatline from there. After four years, earnings barely budge to $37,731, a trajectory that lags behind several community colleges in North Carolina where graduates see stronger momentum. Among NC programs, this ranks 60th percentile, meaning four out of ten comparable programs produce better outcomes.

The $21,000 debt load is manageable relative to that first-year salary (you're looking at about seven months of earnings to cover the full amount), though it's notably higher than the national norm for associate's business programs. The advantage here is really about getting to mid-$30K income quickly with a two-year credential, which matters if your student needs to start earning sooner rather than later.

The concern is what happens next. Other community colleges in the state—Catawba Valley, Forsyth Tech—show graduates earning $39K to $41K, suggesting that location or curriculum differences matter. If your student plans to stay in the Raleigh area where Wake Tech's employer connections presumably run deep, this program gets them employed at a decent wage. But if career growth is the priority, understand that this appears to be more of a job-entry credential than a launching pad for significant advancement.