Architectural Sciences and Technology at Texas State Technical College

Texas State Technical College's architectural technology program costs remarkably little—$9,875 in median debt ranks in the 95th percentile nationally for low borrowing—but that efficiency comes with a significant earnings tradeoff. Graduates earn $36,265 one year out, about $6,000 below the national median for this degree. While the school's debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 looks manageable on paper, placing at the 60th percentile among Texas programs obscures the reality that Texas students in this field generally earn less than their national peers.

Here's the critical context: there are only three schools in Texas offering this associate's degree, and the sample size for this specific program is under 30 graduates. That makes these numbers particularly unstable—one cohort's experience may not predict the next. The national 5th percentile earnings ranking is concerning, but with such limited data and competition in-state, it's difficult to know whether this reflects the program's quality or simply the local market for architectural technologists in Central Texas.

For families where minimizing debt is the priority, the low borrowing makes this program worth considering despite modest earnings. But parents should verify current job placement rates and talk to recent graduates directly, since small sample sizes mean the official data may not tell the full story. This is a case where the institution's track record matters more than the statistics.