Computer and Information Sciences at Western Technical College

Western Technical College graduates earn almost exactly the state median for IT associate programs—$35,577 puts them at the 60th percentile in Texas. That's respectable positioning, though notably below what nearby Austin Community College achieves ($49,032). The bigger concern isn't the starting salary, which matches reasonable expectations for an associate degree in tech; it's the debt load of $25,032, which sits far above both state and national norms for this credential.

That debt figure means graduates are borrowing 67% more than the typical Texas student in similar programs. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 remains manageable on paper, it creates tighter margins than necessary when Austin-area community colleges are producing similar or better outcomes with half the debt burden. The 5% earnings growth to year four suggests stable employment rather than rapid advancement, which is realistic for associate-level IT roles but makes that higher debt harder to justify.

For El Paso families, this comes down to whether Western Technical College offers something—location, schedule flexibility, specific technical training—that makes the premium worthwhile. If your student can access one of Texas's lower-debt community college options, particularly those in the top quartile for earnings, that's likely a better value. If Western Tech is the only practical choice, the program is viable but requires careful attention to minimizing borrowing.