Certificate (under 1 year)-14% vs national median369 grads tracked
Business Administration, Management and Operations at Palo Alto College
Ranked 68th of 108 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Business Administration, Management and Operations by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$45,210
middle 50%: $33,805 – $61,067
Median · 5 years out
$48,943
middle 50%: $38,189 – $69,154
Median · 10 years out
$56,877
middle 50%: $40,793 – $76,770
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Business Administration, Management and Operations (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Certificate holders in Business Administration, Management and Operations earn $45k in year one. Salaries increase to $57k by year ten.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
7.9 yrs
≈ $8,770 total interest
Same major at other universities
Germanna Community College
$51,223 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota State University, Mankato
$51,028 · 5 yrs out
College of Lake County
$50,975 · 5 yrs out
Mount Wachusett Community College
$50,050 · 5 yrs out
Cisco College
$49,513 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Western Community College
$49,399 · 5 yrs out
Greenville Technical College
$48,709 · 5 yrs out
Laurel Ridge Community College
$48,487 · 5 yrs out
Central Texas College District
$48,368 · 5 yrs out
Sauk Valley Community College
$48,343 · 5 yrs out
South Suburban College
$48,343 · 5 yrs out
Northeastern Junior College
$48,096 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Palo Alto College
Engineering (Associate)
$87,351 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$64,834 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$62,224 · 5 yrs out
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (Associate)
$58,998 · 5 yrs out
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Associate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$56,272 · 5 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (Associate)
$55,746 · 5 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Associate)
$55,746 · 5 yrs out
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (Certificate)
$55,181 · 5 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate)
$54,286 · 5 yrs out
Marketing (Associate)
$53,921 · 5 yrs out
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Associate)
$53,793 · 5 yrs out
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