Business Administration and Management at City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College
IL · Associate's Degree · CIP 52.02
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Business Administration and Management degree from City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College earn a median salary of $55,935 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,931. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.7 years.
Quick Insights
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
$43,626
Typical Career
$55,935
Top Performers
$84,610
Estimated break-even: 10.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$373
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,661. Most students can comfortably afford about a $373 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Public Administration.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
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
$60,931
Nominal: $55,935 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% higher 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).
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 | $28,622 | $41,154 | $54,227 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $43,626 | $55,935 | $84,610 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $49,171 | $58,363 | $83,086 |
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 $55,935 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $55,935 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180)
= $60,931 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates predominantly include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 35.7% of placements, followed by similar sectors at 30.5% and Construction at 24.2%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 16.6 years, suggesting a long-term return on investment. While the initial earnings may not reflect substantial growth over time, the stability of the industries entered may provide consistent employment opportunities, contributing to overall career sustainability.
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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.