Information Science/Studies at California State University-Los Angeles

Peer programs across the country suggest a bachelor's in Information Science produces around $59,000 in first-year earnings and $25,000 in debt—a manageable 0.43 ratio that should be workable on a typical repayment plan. What complicates the picture is that Cal State LA serves an overwhelmingly Pell-eligible population (66%), meaning many students here arrive with fewer financial cushions than the national dataset might reflect. The debt estimate comes from similar CSU programs, which tend to produce lower debt loads than the national median, but without actual graduate outcomes from this specific program, it's impossible to know whether students here are achieving those national earnings benchmarks or landing closer to the lower end of California's wide range.

The variation among California Information Science programs is striking—UC Riverside graduates earn over $76,000 while Cal State Fullerton's reported outcomes sit at just under $50,000. Cal State LA's highly accessible admissions (92% acceptance) and first-generation student focus suggest it might track closer to the Fullerton outcome than the state median of $63,000. If actual earnings land in the $50,000 range rather than the estimated $59,000, that debt becomes proportionally harder to manage, especially for graduates supporting families or lacking parental financial backup.

The fundamentals—tech-adjacent degree, moderate debt, reasonable ratio—look sound on paper. But you're betting on estimates derived from other schools' students, not this program's track record. Push the school for employment outcomes and starting salaries specific to their Information Science graduates before committing.