Information Science/Studies at Jamestown Community College

An estimated debt load of $13,125 suggests this associate's program lands near the national norm for Information Science degrees, though New York programs typically see lower borrowing at around $10,248. With projected first-year earnings of roughly $39,000—based on comparable programs nationwide—the debt represents about four months of income, a manageable starting point for a two-year credential.

The challenge is that New York's median for this field sits closer to $35,000, which would make the debt picture slightly less favorable than the national comparison suggests. Information Science associate's programs vary significantly in their focus and local employer relationships, and without actual graduate outcomes from Jamestown, it's difficult to know whether this program's IT curriculum aligns with higher-paying upstate New York employers or leads to entry-level help desk roles that might cluster at the lower end of that range.

Given the estimation uncertainty, look closely at Jamestown's specific course offerings and job placement support. The debt burden isn't alarming, but you're essentially betting that this program performs at least as well as the national average rather than falling toward the state median. If your student has offers from Hudson Valley or other programs with documented outcomes in the high $30,000s, those represent less speculative options with similar debt profiles.