Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications at College of Southern Nevada

A certificate program with $14,699 in estimated debt and first-year earnings around $37,000 puts students in a manageable spot—that 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio means borrowers would dedicate roughly 40% of their first year's salary to clearing their loans, which falls within the bounds of what financial planners consider reasonable. The challenge is that both figures are drawn from peer programs nationally, not from College of Southern Nevada's actual graduate outcomes, which aren't publicly available due to small cohort sizes.

The earnings estimate aligns exactly with what typical networking certificate programs produce nationwide—about $37,000 in the first year. For Las Vegas's tech sector, which includes data centers, hospitality tech infrastructure, and growing corporate IT operations, this represents entry-level positioning rather than mid-career stability. The debt estimate, pulled from similar community college programs, sits above the national median of $11,588 for this credential, which raises questions about whether students here might be borrowing more than peers elsewhere.

For an anxious parent, the key question is whether this specific path—a certificate rather than an associate degree—positions graduates competitively in Nevada's market. Since actual outcomes for CSN's program aren't available and no comparable Nevada programs publish data either, you're essentially betting that this school's results mirror national patterns. If your student can minimize borrowing below that $14,699 estimate or secure employment lined up before completing the program, the risk diminishes considerably.