Information Science/Studies at Century College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34 suggests manageable student loans for Century College's Information Science associate degree, though both the $13,125 debt estimate and $38,906 first-year earnings figure come from national peer programs rather than this school's actual graduates. With only four Minnesota colleges offering this associate-level program and none reporting outcomes publicly, you're making this decision largely on what similar two-year information science programs produce nationwide. The national earnings figure is dead center of the market—neither impressive nor concerning—while the debt level would require roughly three to four months of gross income to repay, assuming standard loan terms.

The challenge here is that "information science" at the associate level can mean vastly different things: some programs emphasize technical IT skills that command higher wages, while others focus on library science or general information management with more modest earning potential. Without knowing which direction Century College's curriculum leans, and without graduate outcomes to verify job placement, you're betting on whether their specific program aligns with the more lucrative technical track. The 33% Pell grant rate suggests the school serves working students who may already have some industry connections, but that's cold comfort without concrete data.

If your child can confirm that this program includes substantial hands-on technical training (databases, networking, cybersecurity) rather than primarily theory, the estimated numbers suggest reasonable value. Otherwise, demand specifics from the school about where their graduates actually land before committing.