Computer and Information Sciences at Career Technical Institute

Career Technical Institute's computer science certificate shows an unusual pattern: while earnings land in just the 5th percentile nationally for these programs, it actually performs at the 60th percentile among DC options. That's largely because DC only has two schools offering this certificate, and this is the lower-earning option—the program doesn't dodge weak outcomes through statistical trickery.

The core problem is that $24,482 in first-year earnings is roughly half what the national median graduate in this field makes ($38,858), and earnings actually drop to $22,747 by year four. The debt load of $7,652 is relatively manageable given that 81% of students receive Pell grants, but you're still borrowing money to achieve earnings that barely exceed minimum wage in one of America's most expensive cities. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 looks reasonable on paper, but only because both numbers are so low.

For DC residents, this certificate faces serious headwinds. The local tech sector offers strong opportunities, but entry typically requires either a bachelor's degree or specialized skills this brief program may not provide. Unless this serves as a stepping stone to further education or fills a very specific gap in someone's existing skill set, families should look hard at alternative pathways—community college associate degrees, coding bootcamps, or even direct entry-level tech positions that offer similar starting pay with better advancement potential.