Computer and Information Sciences at Montgomery College

That estimated $36,000 first-year salary—derived from national peers since Montgomery College's graduate sample was too small to report—might look modest for a tech credential, but the trajectory here tells a different story. By year four, graduates are earning $79,000, which suggests this associate's degree is serving as a genuine springboard into positions that reward experience. That's meaningful wage growth, particularly for students who keep debt at $11,000 (below the state median and well below the national $14,932 average).

The caveat is that the first-year estimate comes from nationwide programs that vary enormously in quality and local job markets. Maryland's tech corridor around DC could easily produce better outcomes than what similar programs in, say, rural areas generate. With only 13 schools in Maryland offering this credential and many suppressing their data due to small cohorts, it's hard to know exactly where Montgomery College falls in the local pecking order. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 based on estimated figures looks manageable, but parents should verify whether their child can access Maryland's actual tech job market—internships, proximity to employers, alumni networks—not just classroom instruction.

The practical question is whether your student can weather that first year or two at potentially entry-level wages while building the experience that unlocks those $79,000 salaries. If they're living at home or have support to get through that initial period, this looks defensible at $11,000 in debt.