Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at The University of Texas at San Antonio

UTSA's IT management program starts behind peers but transforms into a competitive option through substantial earnings growth. While first-year graduates earn $54,877—below both the Texas median ($56,502) and national average ($58,056)—earnings jump 48% to $81,067 by year four. That's the kind of trajectory you want to see in tech, though it does mean leaner early years compared to graduates from Texas A&M or University of Phoenix-Texas who start stronger.

The debt picture offers a meaningful advantage. At $24,125, UTSA graduates carry about $6,600 less than the typical Texas IT program and nearly $3,000 below the national median. For a family weighing public university options, this makes the slower initial earnings more tolerable—the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 means manageable payments while waiting for that mid-career acceleration. Among Texas programs, this ranks around the 40th percentile for earnings, so it's middle-of-the-pack performance within the state.

The real question is whether your child will stick it out through those first few years when peers at other schools may be earning more. If they're patient and career-focused, UTSA's combination of moderate debt and strong growth delivers solid value. But if immediate earning power matters—for paying off loans aggressively or supporting family—higher-starting programs might justify their steeper costs.