Information Science/Studies at Eastern Connecticut State University

Four years out, Eastern Connecticut State's Information Science graduates earn a solid $73,851—an actual reported figure that puts them on competitive footing in Connecticut's tech sector. But the first-year number of $58,651 is estimated from national medians, not this specific program's outcomes, so it's harder to know exactly how graduates fare in those crucial early months when debt payments begin.

The $19,137 debt load is real and remarkably low—matching the Connecticut median for these programs and coming in well below the $25,750 national typical. This creates a manageable 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio even using the conservative estimated first-year figure. That means if the national pattern holds locally, graduates would owe roughly four months of salary, leaving breathing room for other financial priorities. The jump to $73,851 by year four suggests the degree builds value over time, though without first-year data from Eastern Connecticut specifically, you're making assumptions about that trajectory.

The practical question is whether an accessible state university can deliver information science outcomes that justify even modest debt. The four-year earnings figure is encouraging, and the debt burden won't be crushing. But you're betting that Eastern Connecticut's career outcomes mirror broader national patterns—a reasonable assumption for a well-established field, but not a certainty backed by this school's specific track record.