Information Science/Studies at University of Guam

Similar bachelor's programs in Information Science nationally produce first-year earnings around $59,000, which would translate to manageable debt of roughly $25,000—a ratio of 0.43 that suggests graduates could reasonably handle loan payments. However, University of Guam's unique position as the territory's only institution offering this program means these national benchmarks may not capture the local employment reality. Guam's smaller job market and geographic isolation could either constrain opportunities or create concentrated demand for information science skills that national figures don't reflect.

The estimated debt load sits right at the national median for these programs, which is encouraging—it suggests the University isn't loading students with excessive borrowing. But the real question is whether Guam's tech sector and government agencies offer sufficient opportunities to command those $59,000 starting salaries, or whether graduates need to relocate to the mainland to access comparable earnings. With 31% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are banking on degrees that deliver locally viable careers, not ones that require costly moves to realize their value.

Parents should probe specifically where recent graduates have landed jobs and at what salaries. The national earnings estimate provides a reasonable baseline if your child plans to work stateside, but if staying in Guam is the goal, you need actual placement data from the university itself to understand whether this degree opens doors in the territory's limited but potentially less competitive market.