Three Routes Start
College diploma

Business administration

Diploma, BCIT Business Administration / Management (2 years)

24 of 30 verified for BC; "start something" routes use national figures · How we verify
Trades go through SkilledTradesBC (4 levels, Youth Train in Trades lets you start Level 1 in high school). Numbers from WorkBC and Job Bank BC, BCIT, VCC and UBC.
Years to credential2
First real paycheque~2 years
Time in a classroom75%
Total cost$13,500
Typical debt after$8,000
Demand in BCSteady

The first ten years

schoolschoolschoolearnearnearnearnearnearnearn
Mostly in schoolEarning

Earnings by year, roughly

What's in "net by year 10"
Earnings, years 1 to 10$458k2 years at $0 while in school, then $46,000 rising to $61,500 by year five, flat after
Program cost−$14ktuition and fees
Typical (medians)$445kthe number on the card
Low to high$374k to $515kpay 15% under or over the median, cost 15% more or 10% less

Not counted: income tax, rent, food, loan interest, inflation, and unemployment gaps. They apply to every route, so they change the size of each number more than the order. Pay is the British Columbia median before tax from the sources on this page.

The picture

What the day-to-day isAccounting, marketing and operations courses; group projects; a co-op term if you pick the right stream.
What actually stops peopleEasy to get in. Hard to stand out at the end.
The downsideGeneric credential; outcomes depend almost entirely on co-op and networking.
If you're the parentAccessible and flexible, but your child needs a plan for what they will do with it. Pairing it with a specific skill (accounting, HR, logistics) matters.
Local opportunities in British Columbia

Ready to explore this for real?

Eight quick questions about whether this route fits your life, not just your grades. You'll get a readiness check, and if you want, we'll introduce you to employers, unions or programs in your region.

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How to enter

What you need
  • No specific courses or average; Grade 12 (or equivalent) and a willingness to show up
Deadlines in BC
  • Apply directly to the college from October; competitive programs fill by February
  • StudentAid BC in spring

Next steps in British Columbia

  1. 1
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In British ColumbiaBCIT 4-term business diplomas total ~$13,480 (2025-26), U-Pass and books extra.
www.workbc.ca · www.bcit.ca

✓ Verified 2026-10-09 for BC Sources: WorkBC NOC 13100 (Job Bank BC wages 2025); BCIT 2025-26 domestic fee schedule

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