Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at University of Phoenix-California

The $60,000+ starting salary here exceeds both California's median ($58,087) and the national median for this degree, placing it at the 60th percentile among California's IT management programs. However, that initial advantage comes with a significant cost: graduates carry $46,262 in debt—substantially higher than California's median of $30,077 for this program. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77, graduates will need roughly 9 months of gross income to cover their loans, assuming aggressive repayment.

The real concern isn't the debt level alone but the flat earnings trajectory. Four years post-graduation, median earnings sit at virtually the same $60,536—zero growth while peers at other schools typically see their incomes rise. This stagnation could reflect the program's curriculum not building advanced skills that command higher salaries, or graduates landing in roles with limited advancement potential.

For parents weighing this option: your child would earn slightly more initially than graduates from UC Santa Cruz's comparable program, but they'd carry significantly more debt to get there. The 24% Pell grant rate suggests the school serves many students from modest financial backgrounds who may find this debt burden particularly challenging. Unless your child has specific ties to University of Phoenix's network or needs their online flexibility, California offers multiple paths to similar starting salaries with half the debt load.