Computer Programming at Waukesha County Technical College

When similar programming programs across Wisconsin produce typical first-year earnings around $45,000, the estimated debt of $13,800 creates a manageable 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates would owe less than four months of their first year's salary. That's a reasonable starting point for a two-year technical degree, though the jump to $57,338 by year four suggests most graduates need some time to grow into better-paying positions.

The state comparison reveals an important limitation in these estimates: Fox Valley Technical College's programming graduates actually earn $54,652 in their first year—nearly $10,000 more than the state median figure used here. Since Waukesha's actual outcomes aren't reported (too few graduates to publish), we can't know whether this program performs more like Fox Valley at the high end or closer to Gateway's $41,728 at the lower end. That's a meaningful spread when you're investing two years and taking on debt.

The fundamentals look solid—below-average debt for a field with steady demand—but you're operating without the specific performance data that would make this decision straightforward. Before committing, talk directly with Waukesha's career services about where their programming graduates actually land jobs and what they earn, since the state-level estimates don't capture this program's particular strengths or weaknesses.