Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at DePaul University

DePaul's IT management program reports extraordinary outcomes—graduates earning nearly $80,000 in their first year out, which would place this program in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile among Illinois schools. That's about $20,000 more than both state and national medians for this degree. The debt load of $27,000 is perfectly average for the field, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34 that looks quite manageable. On paper, this appears to be an exceptional choice for tech-interested students in Chicago.

However, these numbers come with a significant asterisk: the sample size is under 30 graduates. With so few data points, a handful of unusually successful graduates could be skewing the picture considerably. The earnings gap between this program and other Illinois options (like Lewis University at $58,000) is suspiciously large given DePaul's 74% admission rate. It's possible DePaul's Chicago location and industry connections genuinely deliver superior outcomes, or these numbers may not hold up as more data becomes available.

The investment itself isn't risky—$27,000 in debt against nearly $80,000 in earnings is reasonable regardless. But temper your expectations. If your child ends up earning closer to the Illinois median of $60,000, this program still works financially, just not spectacularly. Think of the reported numbers as a best-case scenario rather than a guarantee.