Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Estrella Mountain Community College

The numbers here suggest reasonable value, though they come with an important caveat: both earnings and debt figures are drawn from national peers rather than actual outcomes for Estrella Mountain graduates. Peer programs nationwide typically produce first-year earnings around $41,750 against median debt of $17,500—a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 that falls within workable territory for most graduates. That ratio means students would be borrowing less than half of what they expect to earn in their first year, which is generally manageable assuming steady employment in the field.

The challenge is uncertainty. Arizona has 20 schools offering similar programs, but none report actual graduate outcomes, which means you're making decisions with limited visibility into how IT associate's degrees actually perform in the local job market. The national benchmark of $41,750 represents the middle of the pack—half of similar programs produce higher earnings, half lower. Whether Estrella Mountain's connections to Phoenix-area employers push graduates toward the higher end or whether the competitive tech market favors four-year degrees remains unclear.

For parents weighing this investment, the estimated debt load is modest enough that even if actual outcomes lag the national average, graduates likely won't face crushing payments. But given the data gap, investigate job placement rates directly with the program and talk to recent graduates if possible before committing.