Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Ferrum College

A $27,000 debt load for a tech bachelor's degree is modest by national standards, particularly when paired with estimated first-year earnings around $57,000 based on Virginia's IT programs. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 suggests manageable repayment—roughly half a year's salary to cover the full borrowing—which positions this within reasonable territory for tech credentials. However, these figures are drawn from peer programs across Virginia (where only three schools had reportable data) and typical debt levels nationally, not actual outcomes from Ferrum's graduates.

The challenge here is context. Ferrum serves a less selective student population (100% admission rate, below-1000 average SAT) with significant economic need (47% on Pell grants), yet the estimated earnings match both state and national medians for IT management degrees. If those earnings hold true for Ferrum's actual graduates, that would represent strong value. But the data suppression—likely due to very small graduating cohorts—means you're making this decision without knowing how Ferrum's specific students fare in the job market compared to larger, more established programs like Old Dominion, which reports $66,000 for graduates.

The estimated numbers suggest a workable investment, but proceed knowing you're operating on incomplete information. Before committing, ask Ferrum directly about typical employment outcomes, class sizes in the major, and whether their IT students secure internships or job placements that justify confidence in these peer-based projections.