Information Science/Studies at Onondaga Community College

Onondaga Community College's Information Science program graduates earn about $4,000 less than the typical New York associate degree holder in this field—landing near the state median rather than excelling—while carrying slightly higher debt than state peers. With graduates earning $31,342 their first year out, this trails the statewide median by roughly 11% and sits well below what nearby Hudson Valley Community College achieves ($38,906). The debt load of $11,555 is manageable in absolute terms, but you're paying above-average amounts for below-average results.

The small sample size here matters. With fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few outliers could skew these numbers significantly. That said, the pattern is consistent: this program ranks in just the 10th percentile nationally and the 40th within New York—meaning 60% of New York programs and 90% of programs nationwide produce better first-year earnings. For context, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 is reasonable and graduates can realistically manage these payments, but the broader question is whether $31,000 in year-one earnings justifies the investment when alternatives exist.

If your child is set on staying in central New York for personal reasons, this could work—the debt burden won't be crushing. But if proximity isn't a factor, look at higher-performing programs within the SUNY system that deliver better outcomes for similar or lower cost.