Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Lansing Community College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 puts this certificate in reasonable territory—comparable programs nationally suggest graduates might earn around $42,000 while carrying roughly $12,000 in debt, which means paying off the credential within a year or two is achievable if you land solidly in the field. The catch? Michigan's IT certificate landscape shows wide variation, with similar programs at nearby schools like Grand Rapids Community College producing lower median earnings around $36,000. Without Lansing's actual graduate outcomes, you're betting on whether their training and employer connections will hit the higher national mark or settle closer to the state average.

The real risk here isn't catastrophic debt—it's whether a certificate alone provides enough differentiation in Michigan's tech market. At $42,000, you're looking at entry-level help desk or junior admin work, not the $60-80K developer roles that bachelor's degrees unlock. For a student who needs to start earning quickly or already has some IT experience to leverage, this could work. But if your child is starting from scratch and can afford the time, community college credits that stack toward an associate or bachelor's degree might offer better long-term earning potential than stopping at the certificate level.

Given the estimation uncertainty and Michigan's lower-than-national figures, treat this as a quick credential that needs a clear employment plan attached—not a guaranteed path to middle-class income.