Computer Software and Media Applications at Husson University

A first-year salary around $38,000 for a bachelor's degree in computer software sits well below what most parents expect from a tech credential, especially when carrying $25,600 in debt. Similar programs across the country suggest graduates enter the workforce earning roughly two-thirds what they owe—not catastrophic, but tight for someone trying to establish financial independence in their twenties. For context, the top quarter of software programs nationally see graduates earning above $52,000 right out of the gate, suggesting significant variation in how these credentials translate to the job market.

The challenge with Husson's program is that we're working entirely from estimates based on peer institutions—there's no track record of actual graduate outcomes to confirm whether this program outperforms or underperforms those national figures. That uncertainty matters when you're the one writing the tuition checks. Maine's limited tech sector could work against graduates who need to stay local, though the $25,600 debt load is at least manageable compared to the national median of $27,000 for similar programs.

Before committing, you'll want concrete answers: Where do graduates actually land jobs? What percentage find work in their field within six months? Without verifiable outcomes data, you're essentially betting that this program will perform at least as well as the national average for software credentials—a gamble that becomes riskier when those national figures themselves look modest.