Information Science/Studies at Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Tech's Information Science program starts graduates at nearly $60,000, then catapults them to over $100,000 by year four—a 71% earnings jump that outpaces most peer programs. Among Florida's 11 information science programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for starting salary, but what happens after graduation tells a more compelling story about career trajectory than those first-year figures suggest.

The challenge is the debt load: $54,375 puts this program in the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of comparable programs graduate students with less debt. That's more than double the national median of $25,750 and roughly equivalent to Florida's state median. However, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.92 means graduates owe less than one year's starting salary, and by year four, that debt represents just half of annual earnings. This is manageable math, especially given the strong mid-career trajectory.

The key question for parents: can you afford the upfront investment? If your child needs substantial loans to attend, those high debt numbers matter even with strong earnings growth. But if you can manage the cost through other means, this program demonstrates clear momentum in getting graduates into higher-paying roles relatively quickly. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) provides reasonable confidence in these outcomes.