Computer Software and Media Applications at Hastings College

First-year earnings around $38,000 suggest this software program lands somewhere in the middle of the national pack—right at the national median for similar bachelor's degrees. The estimated debt load of roughly $25,600 is actually lower than the typical $27,000 nationally, putting the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.67. That means graduates are looking at debt equal to about two-thirds of their first-year salary, which is reasonable by today's standards.

The challenge is that these figures come from peer programs nationwide, not Hastings College's actual graduate outcomes, because too few students complete this program to publish specific data. That small cohort size could be a red flag—it might mean limited course offerings, fewer networking opportunities, or less institutional investment in the program compared to larger schools. In Nebraska's tech market, which is considerably smaller than coastal hubs, starting at $38,000 is typical, but growth potential matters more than the entry point.

For parents weighing this investment, the debt level won't be crushing, but verify what "Computer Software and Media Applications" actually prepares students for at Hastings specifically. The broad program name could encompass everything from web development to multimedia design, fields with very different salary trajectories. Ask about internship pipelines, job placement rates, and whether recent graduates found work in their field—concrete information that matters more than estimated averages from other schools.