Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Michigan State University

Michigan State's IT management program earns graduates $48,185 in their first year—about $10,000 below what typical Michigan students make in this field and nearly $18,000 less than what graduates from Michigan Tech earn. While $48K isn't terrible for a starting salary, it ranks in just the 13th percentile nationally and sits near the bottom half of Michigan programs. The moderate debt load of $23,442 is actually below average for this field, but that doesn't change the fundamental problem: these earnings are surprisingly low for a Big Ten university's tech program.

The 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable in absolute terms—your child could theoretically pay off this debt within five years. But context matters here. Michigan Tech's grads earn 60% more coming out of the gate, and even smaller schools like Baker College and Ferris State are placing students into significantly higher-paying positions. At a school with an 84% admission rate, you're not paying for selectivity, but you should still expect better career outcomes in a high-demand field like IT management.

If your child has offers from Michigan Tech, EMU, or Baker College, those programs deliver substantially more earning power for similar or lower debt. MSU may offer other advantages—campus life, broader alumni network—but purely as a return on investment for IT management, this program underperforms both its in-state competition and the national field.