Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications at Pikes Peak State College

Is a networking associate's degree worth $16,000 in debt when first-year earnings hover around $43,000? For this program at Pikes Peak, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 looks manageable—you'd be borrowing roughly five months of income, which should be payable within a few years of graduation. That estimated debt figure is notably lower than both the state median ($20,271) and national median ($21,874) for similar programs, suggesting the school keeps costs reasonable for a significant Pell-grant-eligible population.

The earnings picture is harder to pin down. Since both the salary and debt figures come from peer programs nationally rather than Pikes Peak's own graduates, you're essentially betting that this program will perform like the typical networking associate's program. The estimated $43,000 compares favorably to Colorado's state median of $39,000, though it falls well short of Front Range Community College's reported $52,000—a meaningful difference that could mean thousands more in annual income. At the same time, it handily beats Intellitec's $26,000.

The lower debt load gives you some cushion if outcomes don't match estimates. Even if actual earnings land closer to the state median, you'd still have a workable debt burden. Just recognize you're making this decision without school-specific outcomes data, and in Colorado's networking field, your choice of program appears to matter significantly for earning potential.