Computer and Information Sciences at College of Marin

An estimated $12,500 in debt positions this associate's degree favorably against similar California programs, where debt loads typically hit $24,400. That's a significant advantage, though the earnings side of the equation raises questions. Comparable computer science associate's programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $35,700—well below California's typical median of $44,600 for this credential. For a Bay Area school where tech salaries generally run higher, this gap deserves attention.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 looks reasonable on paper, but it reflects national benchmarks rather than California realities. If graduates actually earn closer to state norms, the picture improves considerably. If they don't—perhaps because this program doesn't lead directly to the higher-paying tech positions that drive California's numbers—then your child might graduate with skills that don't command the premium wages you'd expect in this region. The 17% Pell grant rate suggests this isn't serving predominantly low-income students who might particularly benefit from a low-debt path into tech.

The core challenge here is uncertainty: we're comparing estimated figures against state benchmarks that may or may not reflect what College of Marin graduates actually achieve. Before committing, you need to know where recent graduates landed jobs and what they actually earned, because an associate's degree in computing should open doors to better than $36,000 in the Bay Area.