POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 5202

Business Administration, Management and Operations: is this post-baccalaureate certificate worth it?

National picture across 5 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$140,589 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$140,589Median year-4 earnings
$20,156Average institution net-price context
$20,114Median federal debt
Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$140,589Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
$20,114Median federal debt
94thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
5Reporting programs
3With year-4 earnings
COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings
$49,328
Federal debt
$14,600
Reporting programs
137
125 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$48,685
Federal debt
$14,000
Reporting programs
592
578 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$64,466
Federal debt
$26,000
Reporting programs
1,282
1,253 report earnings →
CURRENT VIEW

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$140,589
Federal debt
$20,114
Reporting programs
5
3 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$93,369
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
890
890 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings
$109,689
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
18
18 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings
$166,604
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
5
5 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$88,594
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
42
42 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings
$74,472
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
9
9 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$92,298National median$140,58975th percentile$140,589
3 programs report year‑4 earnings.
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1North Carolina State University at Raleigh$159,2902Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$140,5893Colorado State University Global$92,2984University of GeorgiaNot available5CUNY Graduate School and University CenterNot available

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Business Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1011 · 9 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 7 crosswalk linksAdministrative Services ManagersSOC 11-3012 · 4 crosswalk linksGeneral and Operations ManagersSOC 11-1021 · 4 crosswalk linksIndustrial Production ManagersSOC 11-3051 · 4 crosswalk linksMedical and Health Services ManagersSOC 11-9111 · 4 crosswalk linksFacilities ManagersSOC 11-3013 · 3 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersSOC 43-1011 · 3 crosswalk linksLogisticiansSOC 13-1081 · 3 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 3 crosswalk linksProject Management SpecialistsSOC 13-1082 · 3 crosswalk linksTransportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersSOC 11-3071 · 3 crosswalk links
BEST COLLEGES FOR BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debtROI statusCost context
1North Carolina State University at RaleighPost-baccalaureate CertificateRaleigh, NC$159,290$15,813Baseline needed$17,303
2Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusPost-baccalaureate CertificateUniversity Park, PA$140,589$20,125Baseline needed$32,875
3Colorado State University GlobalPost-baccalaureate CertificateDenver, CO$92,298Not availableBaseline needed$16,510
4University of GeorgiaPost-baccalaureate CertificateAthens, GANot available$20,103Baseline needed$13,936
5CUNY Graduate School and University CenterPost-baccalaureate CertificateNew York, NYNot available$21,390Baseline neededNot available

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.