Business/Commerce, General: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 52.01. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,632 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 280 | 5,752 | $54,610 | $60,097 | $17,913 22 programs |
| Associate's degree | 565 | 17,707 | $40,381 | $49,927 | $16,279 170 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 510 | 25,919 | $54,795 | $68,407 | $25,000 262 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 10 | 0 | $94,651 | $129,561 | $21,554 1 programs |
| Master's degree | 167 | 8,023 | $92,755 | $125,988 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 29 | 162 | $140,684 | $149,621 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 7 | 33 | $76,873 | $95,485 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 64 | 376 | $89,256 | $103,299 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WI · Public · 17 graduates measured | $79,473 | $118,137 | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 409 graduates measured | $78,454 | $105,106 | $19,500 |
| University of Delaware DE · Public · 25 graduates measured | $75,156 | Data unavailable | $25,000 |
| CUNY Hunter College NY · Public · 29 graduates measured | $61,311 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Missouri-Columbia MO · Public · 19 graduates measured | $56,327 | Data unavailable | $18,396 |
| Boise State University ID · Public · 81 graduates measured | $50,107 | $51,285 | $22,412 |
| DeVry University-California CA · Private, for-profit · 27 graduates measured | $46,065 | Data unavailable | $19,100 |
| DeVry University-Florida FL · Private, for-profit · 27 graduates measured | $46,065 | Data unavailable | $19,100 |
| DeVry University-Illinois IL · Private, for-profit · 27 graduates measured | $46,065 | Data unavailable | $19,100 |
| DeVry University-Ohio OH · Private, for-profit · 27 graduates measured | $46,065 | Data unavailable | $19,100 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis IN · Public · 162 graduates measured | $43,241 | $53,713 | $19,211 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Albany NY · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $30,858 | Data unavailable | $17,898 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse North NY · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $30,858 | Data unavailable | $17,898 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo NY · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $30,858 | Data unavailable | $17,898 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Greece NY · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $30,858 | Data unavailable | $17,898 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 19 graduates measured | $59,596 | Data unavailable | $17,500 |
| University of Cincinnati-Clermont College OH · Public · 19 graduates measured | $59,596 | Data unavailable | $17,500 |
| Empire State University NY · Public · 44 graduates measured | $58,988 | $63,915 | $24,149 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion IN · Private, nonprofit · 116 graduates measured | $57,924 | $62,059 | $27,875 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global IN · Private, nonprofit · 116 graduates measured | $57,924 | $62,059 | $27,875 |
| Normandale Community College MN · Public · 34 graduates measured | $53,295 | Data unavailable | $11,000 |
| Salt Lake Community College UT · Public · 86 graduates measured | $51,811 | $62,945 | $8,250 |
| Community College of Baltimore County MD · Public · 34 graduates measured | $51,673 | $48,275 | $9,293 |
| Austin Community College District TX · Public · 131 graduates measured | $51,084 | $58,664 | $14,751 |
| Columbia College MO · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $50,874 | $54,522 | $24,875 |
| Bristol Community College MA · Public · 34 graduates measured | $49,956 | $46,520 | $13,796 |
| American Public University System WV · Private, for-profit · 72 graduates measured | $49,438 | $61,313 | $14,750 |
| Oklahoma City Community College OK · Public · 92 graduates measured | $48,430 | $52,325 | $10,520 |
| Frederick Community College MD · Public · 20 graduates measured | $47,787 | $54,249 | $6,146 |
| Strayer University-District of Columbia DC · Private, for-profit · 101 graduates measured | $47,746 | $59,021 | $30,977 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Notre Dame IN · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $87,457 | $111,444 | $21,500 |
| New York University NY · Private, nonprofit · 280 graduates measured | $85,326 | $137,804 | $17,028 |
| Northeastern University Oakland CA · Private, nonprofit · 501 graduates measured | $83,604 | $113,620 | $19,500 |
| Northeastern University MA · Private, nonprofit · 501 graduates measured | $83,604 | $113,620 | $19,500 |
| Brandeis University MA · Private, nonprofit · 65 graduates measured | $82,101 | $108,405 | $17,495 |
| Wake Forest University NC · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $81,480 | $118,167 | $19,500 |
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 1276 graduates measured | $76,574 | $105,583 | $19,000 |
| Baylor University TX · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $75,807 | $124,434 | $12,000 |
| Pace University NY · Private, nonprofit · 40 graduates measured | $72,894 | $89,450 | $26,000 |
| Lehigh University PA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $70,545 | $107,079 | $19,500 |
| University of Charleston WV · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $70,084 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Franklin University OH · Private, nonprofit · 33 graduates measured | $69,830 | $60,893 | $11,250 |
| University of Georgia GA · Public · 63 graduates measured | $69,728 | $91,970 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center NY · Public · 103 graduates measured | $68,511 | $83,561 | $15,146 |
| Albright College PA · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $67,414 | $82,073 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 30 graduates measured | $100,934 | $134,050 | $21,554 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University IL · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $191,505 | $240,637 | Data unavailable |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus VA · Public · 145 graduates measured | $190,620 | $180,117 | Data unavailable |
| Emory University GA · Private, nonprofit · 124 graduates measured | $182,728 | $209,140 | Data unavailable |
| Johns Hopkins University MD · Private, nonprofit · 367 graduates measured | $150,326 | $158,699 | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 713 graduates measured | $142,151 | $161,345 | Data unavailable |
| Michigan State University MI · Public · 141 graduates measured | $142,037 | $188,085 | Data unavailable |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison WI · Public · 79 graduates measured | $141,050 | $160,097 | Data unavailable |
| Northeastern University MA · Private, nonprofit · 232 graduates measured | $129,571 | $148,490 | Data unavailable |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs MA · Private, nonprofit · 232 graduates measured | $129,571 | $148,490 | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis IN · Public · 159 graduates measured | $121,712 | $171,615 | Data unavailable |
| Drexel University PA · Private, nonprofit · 225 graduates measured | $113,962 | $142,843 | Data unavailable |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia PA · Private, nonprofit · 75 graduates measured | $110,279 | $141,003 | Data unavailable |
| University of Denver CO · Private, nonprofit · 213 graduates measured | $109,575 | $133,993 | Data unavailable |
| Georgia State University GA · Public · 227 graduates measured | $108,791 | $143,079 | Data unavailable |
| Loyola Marymount University CA · Private, nonprofit · 58 graduates measured | $106,872 | $140,532 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland Global Campus MD · Public · 21 graduates measured | $119,233 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Georgia State University GA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $108,513 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Notre Dame IN · Private, nonprofit · 82 graduates measured | $76,840 | $92,953 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 40 graduates measured | $129,439 | $123,207 | Data unavailable |
| Clarkson University NY · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $75,796 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Valparaiso University IN · Private, nonprofit · 33 graduates measured | $73,018 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Business/Commerce, General
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief executives | $213,990 | +3.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| General and operations managers | $105,770 | +5.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Sales managers | $148,270 | +4.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Administrative services managers | $114,130 | +5.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Facilities managers | $106,660 | +4.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Industrial production managers | $126,060 | +2.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers | $107,230 | +6.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Construction managers | $114,990 | +9.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling | $79,520 | +6.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Social and community service managers | $80,390 | +7.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Personal service managers, all other | $69,770 | +6.2% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Managers, all other | $141,900 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Cost estimators | $78,740 | -3.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Project management specialists | $102,320 | +6.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Management analysts | $101,860 | +10.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Business teachers, postsecondary | $99,080 | +5.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 52.0101 Business/Commerce, General