Business Administration at Lone Star College System

The Woodlands, TX · Public · Certificate · Business Administration, Management and Operations

with 47,486 students enrolled in The Woodlands, TX.

Program Analysis

At $37,686 per year, Business Administration graduates from Lone Star College System earn slightly above the $35,542 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 142.0x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Business Administration programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Business Administration's career paths, with 47% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 12% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $7,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

Ranked #30 of 455 programs, Lone Star College System's Business Administration program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $43,575 are relatively flat compared to the $37,686 starting salary — typical of trades with stable but capped salary bands.

Business Administration offers 28 registered apprenticeship pathways — an unusually broad set of earn-while-you-learn alternatives to the classroom track.

84 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
78
Low End
84
Score
86
High End
Earnings $37,686/yr (6% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (53% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$446K
3.7% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
144.4x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
42 of 42
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)
$3,090
Out-of-state: $8,700
Median Debt at Graduation
$7,000
2.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$43,575
16% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Business Administration graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Chief executives $206,420 +4.3% 44%
Computer and information systems managers $171,200 +15.2% 47%
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 +3.8% 59%
Chief executives
$206,420
+4.3% growth 44% AI-proof
Computer and information systems managers
$171,200
+15.2% growth 47% AI-proof
Architectural and engineering managers
$167,740
+3.8% growth 59% AI-proof

View all 42 career paths with full salary data →

About Business Administration Careers

Your career will likely begin on the front lines as a supervisor, where your day revolves around people. You’ll be creating work schedules, training new hires on office procedures, approving timesheets, and serving as the go-to person for your team’s daily questions. With experience, you can advance into an operations manager role. Here, your focus shifts to the bigger picture: analyzing performance data in spreadsheets to find efficiencies, managing departmental budgets, and solving logistical puzzles to keep the entire business running smoothly.

Read the full Business Administration career guide →

Compare & Explore

Business Administration Overview

Business Administration at Other Schools

Other Majors at Lone Star College System

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Lone Star College System's Business Administration program score?
At 84/100, this is a high-performing trade program. The TradeSchoolOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Business Administration?
With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $394,278 in decade earnings vs $446,147 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
How affordable is Business Administration at Lone Star College System?
Median debt of just $7,000 against $37,686/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 2 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
What apprenticeship pathways exist for Business Administration graduates?
There are 28 registered apprenticeships connected to Business Administration occupations. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
How many job openings are there for Business Administration graduates?
The career paths mapped to Business Administration have roughly 1,753,300 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 →