Business Administration, Management and Operations at Wilson Community College

North Carolina community colleges typically see their business associate's degree graduates borrowing around $21,000, and outcomes at peer institutions suggest a concerning pattern: while similar programs initially project first-year earnings of $35,246, actual tracked earnings by year four drop to $30,988. That backward slide—losing nearly $4,300 in earning power rather than building it—should raise immediate questions about career trajectory. The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60 looks manageable on paper, but only if that initial salary estimate holds and doesn't follow the downward trend already visible in the data.

The comparison to top-performing NC community colleges is telling. Programs at Catawba Valley, Davidson-Davie, and Forsyth Technical consistently produce graduates earning $39,000-$41,000, roughly $6,000-$8,000 above what similar programs suggest for Wilson. That gap matters when you're carrying $21,000 in debt—potentially $7,000 more than the national median for this degree. Geography and local employment markets play a role, but the differential suggests some programs deliver stronger outcomes than others.

For a family considering this investment, the key question is whether Wilson's local connections and job placement support can buck the trend visible in comparable programs. At a quarter of students receiving Pell grants, this is serving working-class families who can't afford a credential that loses earning power over time. Before committing, find out where recent graduates actually work and what they're earning three to five years out—not just projected first-year figures.