Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus

Estimated first-year earnings of $41,752 against $17,500 in debt suggests a manageable entry point into IT, though these figures come from national peer programs rather than Los Alamos campus graduates specifically. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 is relatively healthy—you'd be looking at less than half a year's salary in loans—and comparable programs nationally carry more debt (around $21,480). That lower debt estimate is the bright spot here.

The challenge is what these numbers don't tell you. Los Alamos has a unique tech economy centered around the national laboratory, and IT jobs there may command different salaries than the national median suggests. The campus serves just 6% Pell-eligible students, indicating a fairly affluent student body, which might mean better local employment connections or less reliance on financial aid than these estimates reflect. Without actual graduate outcomes from this specific program, you're essentially betting on whether an associate's degree in IT administration will open doors in a specialized regional market.

The practical question: can your child leverage Los Alamos's proximity to high-tech employers to beat these national estimates? If they have connections to the lab or local tech firms, this could work well. If they're coming in cold and hoping the degree alone will launch their career, you're flying blind on what this particular campus actually delivers for its IT graduates.