Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

SUNY Alfred's IT management program sits right at the state median for earnings, but that context masks a more concerning reality: this is among the bottom 15% of similar programs nationally. Starting at just under $49,000, graduates earn about $9,000 less than the national median for this degree, and even after strong growth to $64,500 by year four, they're still trailing what many peers earn right out of the gate at top-ranked programs like RIT.

The debt load appears reasonable at first glance—$24,625 is slightly below both state and national averages—but when combined with those lower earnings, you're looking at a 0.50 debt-to-earnings ratio that's higher than 75% of similar programs. For context, graduates from SUNY Polytechnic Institute earn $3,300 more their first year while carrying similar debt. The 32% earnings growth over four years is encouraging and suggests graduates develop marketable skills, but they're playing catch-up from a lower starting point.

Here's the practical reality: with an 82% admission rate and below-average test scores, this is an accessible program that can deliver a decent mid-career outcome if students commit four years to growth. However, parents should know their student will likely start behind peers from more competitive programs, and the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these outcomes could vary significantly. If your child can get into SUNY Poly or other higher-ranked NY options, that's probably the better bet.