Computer and Information Sciences at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College

Southcentral Kentucky's computer science associate program lands its graduates in surprisingly low-paying positions—$26,025 initially—that place it in the bottom 10% both nationally and among Kentucky's 21 programs. That's $12,000 below the state median and barely half what graduates from Gateway Community and Technical College earn. While the debt load is manageable at $7,368, that's small comfort when your first-year salary is this constrained.

The 34% earnings growth over four years is the one bright spot here, lifting graduates to $34,813 by year four. That trajectory suggests the program may provide foundational skills that pay off with experience, though even after four years, earnings still trail the Kentucky median significantly. Compare this to programs like West Kentucky or Jefferson Community that start their graduates at comparable levels to where Southcentral's graduates land after four years of work.

For Kentucky families comparing in-state options, this program doesn't make financial sense when other community colleges in the state deliver substantially better outcomes. The moderate sample size means these results are reasonably reliable—this isn't a data quirk. If your child is set on staying local in Bowling Green, they'd likely be better served looking at different programs here or considering the drive to one of the stronger tech programs elsewhere in Kentucky's community college system.