Business Administration, Management and Operations at Waukesha County Technical College

Waukesha County Technical College's associate program in business management produces graduates earning $44,016 in their first year—well above the national median of $34,000 and in the 93rd percentile nationally. That's an impressive comparison against over 1,300 similar programs across the country. Within Wisconsin, though, the picture shifts: these earnings land at the 60th percentile, putting the program in the middle of the pack among state competitors. Mid-State Technical College and Moraine Park lead Wisconsin at around $47,000, but Waukesha still outperforms the state median by about $3,500.

The debt load of $18,019 translates to a 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio, which is entirely manageable—graduates could theoretically pay this off in under six months of gross earnings. That's a level of borrowing most families can live with, especially given steady earnings growth to $48,000 by year four. The program isn't the absolute top choice in Wisconsin, but it's solidly above average and significantly cheaper than many four-year business degrees that leave students with two or three times this debt.

For families in the Waukesha area, this is a practical path to stable employment with minimal financial risk. The earnings won't dazzle compared to Wisconsin's best technical colleges, but the combination of low debt and above-average income makes this a sensible investment.