Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Charter Oak State College

First-year earnings of $68,659 put Charter Oak's IT management program well above what most similar programs produce nationally—landing in the 83rd percentile—though it sits at the middle of Connecticut's small pack. The estimated debt load of $25,019, based on typical borrowing patterns at institutions like Charter Oak, creates a manageable 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's better than the roughly 0.47 ratio seen at peer programs nationwide, where graduates earn around $58,000 but carry $27,000 in debt.

The fact that nearly 40% of Charter Oak students receive Pell grants suggests the school serves a population for whom this kind of outcome—solid tech earnings without crushing debt—could be transformative. The program appears to deliver stronger first-year results than Central Connecticut State, the only other Connecticut school with published data in this field. Of course, these debt figures are estimates drawn from similar institutions rather than actual outcomes from Charter Oak graduates, so the real borrowing picture could differ.

For an IT management degree, these numbers suggest reasonable value: earnings that exceed both state and national benchmarks combined with debt that shouldn't dominate your child's early career budget. The bigger question is whether Charter Oak's particular delivery model—as a predominantly online public college—fits your child's learning style and produces the networking opportunities that often matter in technology careers.