Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Coastal Pines Technical College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 makes this certificate look manageable on paper—comparable programs nationally suggest borrowers would owe less than three months of first-year income. But Georgia's IT certificate landscape tells a more sobering story. While peer programs nationally cluster around $42,000 in first-year earnings, Georgia's median sits at $46,000, with actual reported outcomes from Augusta and Gwinnett showing graduates earning in the mid-$40,000s. That earnings estimate for Coastal Pines comes from national data, and it may not capture what Georgia employers actually pay for this credential.

The debt picture carries its own warning. Where similar programs in Georgia typically saddle graduates with over $25,000 in loans, the estimate here is nearly half that—around $12,000. That's a meaningful difference, but remember these figures come from peer institutions, not Coastal Pines' actual graduates. Before committing, you need to understand what this school charges compared to other Georgia technical colleges and whether their graduates actually land the IT jobs these estimates assume.

The bottom line: This could be an affordable path into IT work if the actual costs align with the estimate and local employers hire certificate-holders. But without knowing Coastal Pines' specific outcomes, you're betting your investment on what typically happens elsewhere. Talk to the school's career services about job placement rates and which local employers recruit their graduates—those specifics matter more than borrowed benchmarks.