Business Administration at Northwood Technical College

Rice Lake, WI · Public · Associate Degree · Business Administration, Management and Operations

a smaller institution with 2,026 students in Rice Lake, WI.

Program Analysis

Northwood Technical College's Business Administration graduates start at $41,564/yr — above the $35,542 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 57.8x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. Trade programs often deliver strong ratios, and this one is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook for Business Administration graduates.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $11,000 in median debt clears fast against $41,564 in annual earnings.

Ranked #113 out of 455 programs, Northwood Technical College's Business Administration program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $41,564 to $51,570 shows 24% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

With 28 registered apprenticeships mapped to Business Administration, graduates have substantial options for hands-on training paths that pay from day one.

78 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
71
Low End
78
Score
80
High End
Earnings $41,564/yr (17% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (53% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$536K
5.5% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
59.3x
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)
$9,048
Out-of-state: $13,166
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,000
3.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$51,570
24% 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 Northwood Technical College

Trade Certificate vs. Bachelor's Degree

Weigh shorter time-to-career against higher earning ceilings. The numbers tell the story.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Northwood Technical College's Business Administration program score?
A score of 78/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Northwood Technical College's Business Administration graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Business Administration to AI automation?
With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $434,851 in decade earnings vs $536,172 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
How affordable is Business Administration at Northwood Technical College?
Median debt of just $11,000 against $41,564/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Is Northwood Technical College one of the best schools for Business Administration?
The #113 ranking out of 455 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable, and the job market supports this trade.
What apprenticeship pathways exist for Business Administration graduates?
Yes — 28 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Business Administration career paths, including Bank Branch Manager. Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to certificate programs.
How many job openings are there for Business Administration graduates?
With approximately 1,753,300 annual openings across mapped careers, Business Administration offers a very large employment pool. Physical trades tend to have steady demand driven by infrastructure and construction cycles.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →