Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Lake Land College

Similar IT administration programs in Illinois suggest first-year earnings around $42,000—squarely in the middle of what associate degree holders in this field typically earn. That modest starting point, combined with an estimated $17,500 in debt, creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42, which means graduates would owe roughly five months of their first year's salary. This is manageable, though not exceptional.

The challenge with Lake Land's program is the uncertainty itself. When DOE data gets suppressed due to small cohort sizes, you're left relying on state averages that include both stronger performers (like Southwestern Illinois College's graduates earning $46,000) and weaker ones. The estimated debt figure of $17,500 actually sits below the state median, which is encouraging, but without actual outcomes from Lake Land's program, you're essentially betting on their graduates performing somewhere near the middle of Illinois's IT programs.

For parents, the practical question is whether this represents good value when other Illinois community colleges have trackable outcomes. The numbers suggest a reasonable investment if your child completes the degree and immediately enters the workforce, but the lack of program-specific data means you're accepting more uncertainty than you'd face at schools with published results.