Business Administration, Management and Operations: is this non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) worth it?
National picture across 9 reporting college programs.
$74,472 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.
Observed national outcomes
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.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,328
- Federal debt
- $14,600
- Reporting programs
- 137
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,685
- Federal debt
- $14,000
- Reporting programs
- 592
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,466
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 1,282
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $140,589
- Federal debt
- $20,114
- Reporting programs
- 5
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $93,369
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 890
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $109,689
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 18
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $166,604
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $88,594
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 42
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,472
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 9
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College$116,6342Grand Canyon University$108,1033Ashland University$104,7654University of Iowa$82,0885Walden University$74,4726Youngstown State University$69,4967Fresno City College$50,9628College of Central Florida$40,768Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
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.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Baton Rouge, LA | $116,634 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,151 |
| 2 | Grand Canyon UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Phoenix, AZ | $108,103 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,472 |
| 3 | Ashland UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Ashland, OH | $104,765 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,988 |
| 4 | University of IowaNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Iowa City, IA | $82,088 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,531 |
| 5 | Walden UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Minneapolis, MN | $74,472 | Not available | Baseline needed | $33,817 |
| 6 | Youngstown State UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Youngstown, OH | $69,496 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,767 |
| 7 | Fresno City CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Fresno, CA | $50,962 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,069 |
| 8 | College of Central FloridaNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Ocala, FL | $40,768 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,088 |
| 9 | Bacone CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | , | $42,757 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not 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.