Business/Commerce at Wharton County Junior College

The small sample size here means you should be cautious, but the pattern isn't encouraging: first-year earnings of $29,619 fall well below both Texas's median ($32,974) and the national average ($36,591) for associate business programs. While this places Wharton County JC at the 40th percentile within Texas—meaning roughly half of similar programs in the state deliver better outcomes—that still represents a $5,000+ gap compared to top community college options like Austin Community College ($43,267) or Blinn College ($34,483).

The debt load of $13,000 isn't alarming on its own, producing a manageable 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio. But consider what that means practically: graduates earning under $30,000 annually will need to carefully budget loan payments while building their careers. At these income levels, financial breathing room matters significantly, and other Texas community colleges deliver similar debt with substantially higher starting salaries.

If your child is set on Wharton County JC for location or cost reasons, understand they may need to be particularly strategic about internships and job placement to close that earnings gap. Otherwise, it's worth exploring whether nearby alternatives—even if they require a short commute—might position them better financially from day one.