Computer and Information Sciences at St. Francis College

Computer science programs in New York span a remarkable range, from Cornell's $103K earners to far more modest outcomes at dozens of other schools. St. Francis College sits squarely in the middle of this pack, with peer programs in the state suggesting first-year earnings around $62,600—precisely matching the state median and slightly above the $61,300 national benchmark for this degree.

The estimated debt load of roughly $27,000 translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43, meaning graduates would owe about five months of their first year's salary. That's manageable by any reasonable standard, particularly in a field where earnings typically grow with experience. The four-year earnings figure of $68,562 suggests steady if unspectacular income growth. For a school serving a substantial population of Pell grant recipients (47%), these outcomes represent solid middle-class career preparation without the stratospheric debt that sometimes accompanies New York private colleges.

What you're looking at here is a reasonable value proposition: similar debt to state peers, earnings right at state and national medians, and presumably Brooklyn-based networking advantages without the $100K+ outcomes of the top-tier programs. If your child is set on computer science and St. Francis offers the right fit otherwise, the financial fundamentals based on comparable programs don't raise red flags—but don't expect the earnings trajectory of an RPI or Cornell graduate either.