Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications at Three Rivers College

Networking programs across Missouri show remarkably consistent outcomes, with most producing first-year earnings in the low $40,000s—and based on comparable programs, Three Rivers likely falls right in this range. The estimated debt of roughly $16,000 sits comfortably below both the state and national medians for this credential, which matters significantly when you're looking at an associate degree designed to get students working quickly.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 suggests graduates could manage repayment within their first year of work if they prioritized it, though networking salaries don't climb dramatically from there. Similar programs in Missouri at schools like State Tech and Ozarks Technical produce nearly identical outcomes, indicating this is largely a market-driven result rather than one school outperforming others. The real variable is whether your student can secure one of the help desk or junior network admin positions these programs target—IT certifications earned during the program often matter as much as the degree itself.

For families at Three Rivers (where nearly half of students receive Pell grants), this represents a relatively low-risk technical credential. The modest debt burden combined with immediate employability makes this workable if your student is genuinely interested in IT infrastructure work, but don't expect this degree to unlock higher-paying development or engineering roles without additional credentials.