Computer and Information Sciences at Dixie Technical College

First-year earnings of $41,631 place this certificate right at Utah's median for computer science programs, outpacing the typical national graduate by about $3,000. That's a solid outcome for a technical college credential, though it trails Salt Lake Community College's reported $57,428 by a significant margin. The estimated debt of $12,448—based on similar technical college programs nationally—translates to a manageable 0.30 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe roughly 3.6 months of first-year income.

The caveat here is meaningful: because Dixie Tech's graduate cohort was too small for the Department of Education to publish actual debt figures, we're working from national peer data rather than this school's specific outcomes. For context, similar computer science certificate programs nationally typically carry about $11,000 in debt, so the estimate seems reasonable. What matters practically is whether $41,631 in earnings supports that debt load—and by standard measures (anything under 0.50 is considered manageable), it does.

The straightforward takeaway: this appears to be a cost-effective path into tech work, particularly compared to longer degree programs. But parents should verify actual program costs with Dixie Tech's financial aid office before committing, since estimates can only tell you so much about what you'll personally pay and earn.