Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at St Petersburg College

St. Petersburg College's IT management program lands squarely in the middle of Florida's offerings—ranking at the 60th percentile statewide—but trails the national median by about $3,500 in first-year earnings. With debt of $32,116 and starting pay around $54,560, graduates face a manageable but not insignificant debt burden of 0.59 times their first-year salary. That's higher than the national median debt for this program, though typical for Florida schools. The 8% earnings growth to year four shows steady but unspectacular progression.

What makes this less compelling than it might appear is the ceiling. Four years out, graduates earn $58,990—barely above the national first-year median for this field and well below what peers at University of Miami ($73,059) or even Florida State College at Jacksonville ($59,503) achieve right out of the gate. For a community college delivering access to IT careers, it does the job at a reasonable cost. But if your child has other options, particularly at similarly-priced Florida public institutions showing stronger outcomes, those merit serious consideration.

The bottom line: This program won't leave your child buried in debt, and it provides legitimate entry into IT management roles. However, it's a baseline option rather than a standout value—adequate for students who need the flexibility of St. Petersburg College's model, but not the first choice if maximizing earning potential matters most.