Data Processing at CUNY Kingsborough Community College

Kingsborough's Data Processing associate's likely won't break the bank—similar programs nationally suggest about $15,800 in debt, well below the $16,500 national median for this credential. With first-year earnings around $38,600 based on comparable programs, that debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41 means graduates could reasonably pay off loans within a manageable timeframe. What's encouraging is that four years out, the actual reported earnings rise to $41,558, suggesting steady if modest income growth.

However, there's significant variation among New York programs. While national peer programs suggest nearly $40,000 in first-year earnings, the only comparable CUNY program with reported data—Queensborough—shows graduates earning just $26,484. That's a substantial gap that raises questions about whether Kingsborough's outcomes will track closer to national averages or align with what we're seeing elsewhere in the New York system.

The key issue is uncertainty. With both debt and first-year earnings estimated from other schools rather than Kingsborough's actual graduate outcomes, you're essentially betting on whether this program performs like its national peers or like other New York data processing programs. Given Brooklyn's higher cost of living and the fact that tech-adjacent skills can command better wages in the city, the national figures may be more realistic—but that's a hypothesis, not a guarantee. If your child needs concrete outcomes data before committing, this program simply can't provide it yet.