ROI Major

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services at Front Range Community College

CO · Associate's Degree · CIP 52.04

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Business Operations Support and Assistant Services degree from Front Range Community College earn a median salary of $43,047 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $40,958. The degree typically pays for itself in 14.3 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$29,263

Typical Career

$43,047

Top Performers

$52,636

Estimated break-even: 14.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$287

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,587. Most students can comfortably afford about a $287 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Colorado buys what costs $1.05 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 28.9%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.8%
Educational Services 8.2%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$40,958

Nominal: $43,047 in Colorado (COL 105.1% of national avg) · 4.9% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

14.3 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $29,520 $44,249 $62,075
5 Years After Graduation $29,263 $43,047 $52,636
10 Years After Graduation $40,680 $55,464 $70,870

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $43,047 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CO, which has a cost-of-living index of 105.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $43,047 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0510) = $40,958 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Business Operations Support and Assistant Services program at Front Range Community College experience a varied earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $44,249.00, which slightly declines to $43,047.00 by the five-year mark. However, by ten years post-graduation, earnings increase to $55,464.00. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $40,958.14, reflecting the cost of living in Colorado, which has a COL index of 1.051 compared to the national average.

The program primarily feeds graduates into the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 60.3% entering this field. This trend continues with significant percentages at the five-year (38.9%) and ten-year (28.9%) marks. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 14.3 years, indicating a long-term return on investment. Overall, while initial earnings may not show significant growth, the trajectory and industry placement suggest a stable career path in a growing sector.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.