Information Science/Studies at University of Massachusetts-Lowell

UMass Lowell's Information Science associate's program produces graduates earning $52,706 in their first year—impressive on its face, but context reveals a more nuanced picture. This figure places the program in the 95th percentile nationally, crushing the typical $38,906 earned by graduates from similar programs. However, with only three schools offering this degree in Massachusetts, that 60th percentile state ranking is essentially middle-of-the-pack regionally. The debt burden of $17,355 translates to a manageable 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe roughly one-third of their first-year salary.

The real concern isn't the numbers themselves—they're solid—but the small sample size. With fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a handful of exceptional outcomes (or disappointing ones) could be skewing these figures significantly. For an anxious parent, this means you're looking at a program that appears to deliver strong technical training at a reasonable price, but you're essentially trusting limited evidence. The $17,355 debt is well below what many students accumulate for a bachelor's degree, and starting above $50,000 with an associate's gives your child optionality: enter the workforce immediately or continue education with minimal existing debt. Just recognize you're betting on a track record that's still being written.