Business/Commerce, General at Frederick Community College

Frederick, MD · Public · Associate Degree

a compact campus enrolling 4,116 students in Frederick, MD.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $33,619 track close to the $36,982 national median for Business/Commerce, General programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

With a 67.1x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

Career paths for Business/Commerce, General carry above-average AI exposure (46% of tasks). The 33% scenario spread means the difference between optimistic and pessimistic outcomes is substantial.

At $5,380 in median debt against $33,619 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

Frederick Community College ranks #27 among 130 Business/Commerce, General programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.

A 45% earnings increase from $33,619 to $48,633 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

The 8 apprenticeship pathways connected to Business/Commerce, General reflect strong industry infrastructure for this trade. Apprenticeships typically lead to journeyman-level wages.

75 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
66
Low End
75
Score
77
High End
Earnings $33,619/yr (-9% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (54% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (832,900 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$527K
9.7% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
69.9x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
16 of 16
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$7,544
Out-of-state: $19,688
Median Debt at Graduation
$5,380
1.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$48,633
45% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Business/Commerce, General graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Chief executives $206,420 +4.3% 44%
Sales managers $138,060 +4.7% 55%
Managers, all other $136,550 +4.5% 53%
Chief executives
$206,420
+4.3% growth 44% AI-proof
Sales managers
$138,060
+4.7% growth 55% AI-proof
Managers, all other
$136,550
+4.5% growth 53% AI-proof

View all 16 career paths with full salary data →

About Business/Commerce, General Careers

Your career in business often starts by mastering a specific function. You might begin as a project coordinator, using tools like Asana and Slack to keep teams on schedule, or as a management analyst, digging into spreadsheets and interviewing staff to pinpoint how a company can improve efficiency. Your days are a mix of collaboration, problem-solving, and communicating your findings to leadership. As you gain experience, you’ll progress from executing tasks to directing them, becoming an operations manager who oversees a department’s budget and staff or a sales manager leading a team to hit its targets.

Read the full Business/Commerce, General career guide →

Compare & Explore

Business/Commerce, General Overview

Business/Commerce, General at Other Schools

Other Majors at Frederick Community College

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Frederick Community College's Business/Commerce, General program score?
A score of 75/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Frederick Community College's Business/Commerce, General graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
Will AI affect Business/Commerce, General careers?
AI won't 'replace' Business/Commerce, General careers outright, but it is likely to reduce job openings. We model 46% task exposure, which compresses employment probability in our scenarios.
What's the typical debt for Business/Commerce, General graduates from Frederick Community College?
At $5,380 in median debt, Business/Commerce, General graduates from Frederick Community College carry minimal financial burden. The debt-to-income ratio of 0.2x is well below the trade program average.
Is Frederick Community College one of the best schools for Business/Commerce, General?
The #27 ranking out of 130 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable, and the job market supports this trade.
Are there apprenticeship options for Business/Commerce, General?
Yes — 8 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Business/Commerce, General career paths, including Health Information Management Business Analyst. Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to certificate programs.
Is there demand for Business/Commerce, General workers?
The career paths mapped to Business/Commerce, General have roughly 832,900 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Trade careers in this field benefit from consistent replacement demand as workers retire.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →