Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Northern Essex Community College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 suggests manageable borrowing, but here's the catch: both figures are national estimates because this program has too few graduates to report actual outcomes. When the only Massachusetts program with reported data—Springfield Technical Community College—shows first-year earnings of just $25,478, nearly $16,000 below the national median used to estimate Northern Essex's outcomes, that gap raises real questions about whether the national benchmark reflects what actually happens in the Bay State's IT job market.

The estimated $17,500 debt sits well below the national median for these programs, which is encouraging if accurate. But the wide gulf between national earnings expectations and what Springfield Tech graduates actually earn suggests this program could deliver very different results than the estimates imply. Massachusetts has a strong tech sector, yet the one data point we have shows earnings far below what comparable programs produce nationally.

Given the uncertainty, your best move is treating the $25,000 range as a more realistic first-year target than $41,000. At that level, even $17,500 in debt becomes a heavier lift. If your student can minimize borrowing—perhaps starting at a school with reported outcomes, or keeping debt under $10,000—the risk becomes more acceptable. But banking on national averages when local evidence points elsewhere is a gamble with your child's financial future.