Computer and Information Sciences at Front Range Community College

Front Range Community College's computer science associate degree punches well above its weight nationally—graduates earn 49% more than the typical program—but that 95th percentile national ranking becomes more sobering when you look closer at Colorado. At $53,219, these graduates earn exactly the state median for this program, landing at the 60th percentile among Colorado's 11 schools. This suggests the strong showing owes as much to Colorado's robust tech economy as to the program itself.

The financial fundamentals remain solid: $20,098 in debt translates to a 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates earn back their entire loan balance in less than five months of work. That's substantially better than the national average debt of $14,932 might suggest—you're paying roughly $5,000 more but earning $17,000 more per year. For a community college credential that costs a fraction of a four-year degree, these numbers work.

The real question is opportunity cost within Colorado. With graduates hitting exactly the state median, this appears to be a perfectly acceptable but not exceptional path into tech work. If your child can access this program affordably and wants to start earning quickly, the debt-to-earnings picture supports that choice. Just recognize they're getting market-rate outcomes for Colorado, not outsized returns.