Computer and Information Sciences at Centralia College

A Computer and Information Sciences associate's degree typically carries about $12,500 in debt nationally—a manageable amount that peer programs suggest can be paid back in roughly five months of first-year earnings. With estimated income around $35,800, graduates from similar programs earn close to the national median for this credential, which is actually reassuring given how widely community college outcomes can vary.

The challenge here is visibility. Centralia's program is too small for the Department of Education to report actual graduate outcomes, so we're relying entirely on national benchmarks. That means we don't know if this specific program connects students to local tech employers effectively, or whether graduates stay in Washington (where tech salaries tend to run higher than the national average) or scatter to regions with weaker job markets. The 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio looks solid on paper, but it's based on what *other* schools' computer science graduates typically experience.

For parents, the relatively low debt exposure limits your downside risk—$12,500 isn't program-ending if the degree doesn't launch immediately. But without visibility into where Centralia's specific graduates land, you'll want direct answers from the school: job placement rates, employer connections, and whether students transfer to four-year programs (which might explain the small graduating class). The numbers suggest a reasonable foundation, but actual outcomes at this campus remain opaque.