Computer Programming at Herzing University-Akron

Herzing University-Akron's Computer Programming degree starts modestly but shows strong momentum, with graduates nearly doubling their earnings potential by year four. That 47% earnings growth—from $50,242 to $74,006—matters more here than the initial salary, which lags behind Ohio's median for this program by about $7,000.

The debt picture is actually quite favorable: at $31,050, graduates owe less than the state median and rank in the 25th percentile nationally for debt burden. With a first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62, most graduates should be able to manage their loans even during that lower-earning first year. The real question is whether that strong earnings growth continues—by year four, these graduates are earning competitively, though still below what University of Akron Main Campus students see from the start.

One important caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary significantly. The school primarily serves students who need Pell grants (78%), which makes that manageable debt load particularly important. If your child learns well in a hands-on environment and understands they're trading a slower start for eventual competitive earnings, this could work—just recognize they'll likely need to prove themselves in that first job to reach the stronger earning years.