Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications at Kaskaskia College

A debt load nearly 40% of first-year earnings isn't terrible for a technical certificate, but the numbers here come with significant uncertainty. Both the estimated $36,915 salary and $14,699 debt figure are drawn from national peer programs rather than Kaskaskia's actual graduate outcomes, and that $14,699 debt estimate sits notably above both the national median ($11,588) and especially the Illinois state median ($6,680) for networking certificates. That gap suggests either that Kaskaskia's program costs run higher than typical in-state alternatives, or that the estimation method doesn't capture regional pricing differences well.

The career math based on these estimates would require roughly five months of gross pay to clear the debt—manageable if the salary projection holds and you land an entry-level networking role quickly. But peer programs producing that $37K outcome could be very different from what Kaskaskia's curriculum and local employer connections actually deliver. Illinois has 33 schools offering networking certificates, and without reported data from Kaskaskia or comparable Illinois programs, you're essentially betting on whether this particular community college's outcomes mirror the national average or fall closer to the stronger state debt picture.

Before committing, get specifics from Kaskaskia about actual graduate placement rates and starting salaries in the Centralia area. The estimates suggest reasonable value, but they're placeholders—not evidence this program delivers what similar certificates produce elsewhere.