Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Southeast Missouri State University

Southeast Missouri State's IT management program produces solid early earners who outpace the national median by nearly $5,000, though the small graduating class (under 30 students) makes these figures less reliable than you'd like. The $62,891 starting salary lands right at Missouri's median for this program, putting it squarely in the middle of the state's pack—better than University of Central Missouri's graduates, but trailing Lindenwood's by about $4,000. For a school with a 79% admission rate and modest test scores, these outcomes are respectable.

The debt picture looks reasonable at first glance—$24,250 is below both state and national medians. However, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 means graduates are borrowing roughly five months of their first year's salary, which is manageable but not exceptional. With Missouri offering 10 programs in this field, students have options that might deliver similar outcomes with different campus experiences or locations.

The real caveat here is sample size. With fewer than 30 graduates reporting data, one exceptional hire or a couple of struggling graduates could swing these numbers significantly in either direction. If your child is drawn to Southeast Missouri for other reasons—location, campus fit, specific faculty—these numbers suggest they won't be making a financial mistake. But if you're choosing purely on ROI, you're making that decision with limited data.