Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications at Clark College

In Washington's competitive IT training landscape, similar networking programs produce first-year earnings around $43,000—a solid starting point for an associate's degree that gets you working quickly. Clark College's estimated debt load of roughly $16,000 falls between the state's typical $10,800 and the national figure of nearly $22,000, suggesting a middle-of-the-road cost structure for this credential.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 indicates graduates from comparable programs can typically manage their loans, with annual debt representing just over a third of first-year income. That's reasonable for technical training, though Washington's networking programs show considerable variation in outcomes. The challenge with estimated figures is that individual program quality—curriculum currency, employer connections, hands-on lab access—matters enormously in IT fields, and those details aren't captured in peer-program averages.

For parents, the practical question is whether Clark's specific program delivers the technical skills and certifications (Cisco, CompTIA, Microsoft) that local employers actually demand. Visit the campus, talk to current students about job placement support, and verify whether internship opportunities exist with Vancouver-area tech companies. The estimated numbers suggest this could be worthwhile, but in networking where hands-on experience separates strong programs from weak ones, you'll need to evaluate what Clark specifically offers beyond what the comparable-program data can tell you.