Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications at College of Southern Idaho

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 represents manageable territory for IT networking education, though the limited graduate pool means these figures come entirely from peer programs nationally. Based on comparable associate's programs across the country, first-year earnings around $43,000 would put a typical graduate in position to handle roughly $16,000 in debt without financial strain—the kind of numbers that suggest a functional vocational credential rather than a transformational one.

The bigger question is whether this represents Idaho's actual IT job market. With only four schools statewide offering networking programs and none with sufficient graduate numbers to report outcomes, parents are working with substantial uncertainty about local employment prospects. National medians can mask significant regional variation, and Twin Falls isn't Boise's tech corridor. The low Pell grant percentage (19%) suggests this isn't serving Idaho's lower-income students in large numbers, which could mean either selectivity or that local working-class families see better pathways elsewhere.

For families considering this program, the estimated debt load is low enough that the risk feels contained—even if actual outcomes fall short of the national benchmark, you're not looking at crushing loan payments. But the opaque outcomes data means you're essentially betting that College of Southern Idaho's networking graduates fare as well as the national pool, despite Idaho's smaller tech footprint. Request job placement rates and talk to recent alumni before committing.