Field of study · CIP 11.01
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Offered at 2,335 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 461 | $46,413 | $63,723 | $12,500 |
| Associate | 544 | $44,136 | $58,821 | $13,250 |
| Bachelor's | 828 | $66,524 | $92,749 | $22,531 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 1 | — | — | — |
| Master's | 328 | $99,936 | $129,021 | — |
| Doctoral | 93 | $143,439 | — | — |
| Professional | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 79 | $93,439 | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Our read
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $46,413, versus $66,524 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Georgia | GA | $90,419 | — | $17,486 |
| 2 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | NE | $68,290 | $90,352 | $24,494 |
| 3 | Purdue University Global | IN | $87,219 | — | — |
| 4 | University of West Florida | FL | — | $84,022 | — |
| 5 | Salt Lake Community College | UT | — | $79,734 | — |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | PA | — | $75,510 | $26,891 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | PA | — | $75,510 | $26,891 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | — | $75,510 | $26,891 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | PA | — | $75,510 | $26,891 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | PA | — | $75,510 | $26,891 |
| 11 | Lone Star College System | TX | — | $75,067 | $14,802 |
| 12 | Central Piedmont Community College | NC | $61,493 | $70,073 | $12,500 |
| 13 | Bunker Hill Community College | MA | — | $68,523 | — |
| 14 | Durham Technical Community College | NC | $68,497 | — | — |
| 15 | Wake Technical Community College | NC | $49,345 | $68,218 | $16,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah Valley University | UT | — | $112,547 | $14,331 |
| 2 | Anne Arundel Community College | MD | — | $91,030 | — |
| 3 | NHTI-Concord's Community College | NH | — | $89,284 | — |
| 4 | Salt Lake Community College | UT | $59,864 | $84,390 | $9,156 |
| 5 | Saint Leo University | FL | — | $82,591 | — |
| 6 | Park University | MO | — | $81,805 | — |
| 7 | Austin Community College District | TX | $55,385 | $80,307 | $13,000 |
| 8 | Metropolitan Community College Area | NE | $48,481 | $76,738 | $11,243 |
| 9 | Montgomery College | MD | — | $76,610 | $8,000 |
| 10 | Northern Virginia Community College | VA | $46,373 | $75,820 | $9,875 |
| 11 | Wake Technical Community College | NC | $56,620 | $75,599 | $15,000 |
| 12 | Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | CO | $55,735 | $75,434 | $16,596 |
| 13 | Oklahoma City Community College | OK | $50,301 | $75,374 | $9,750 |
| 14 | Columbia College | MO | — | $73,268 | — |
| 15 | Howard Community College | MD | — | $73,065 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $118,344 | $213,177 | $8,293 |
| 2 | Rice University | TX | $156,465 | $213,121 | $9,502 |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $148,803 | $212,814 | $14,378 |
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $143,850 | $205,284 | $9,875 |
| 5 | Wellesley College | MA | $105,692 | $186,284 | $6,500 |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $127,472 | $184,373 | $19,500 |
| 7 | Yale University | CT | $180,081 | — | $15,500 |
| 8 | Swarthmore College | PA | $101,324 | $171,529 | $17,461 |
| 9 | Cornell University | NY | $100,205 | $169,125 | $12,750 |
| 10 | Northeastern University Oakland | CA | $124,222 | $167,960 | $19,500 |
| 11 | Northeastern University | MA | $124,222 | $167,960 | $19,500 |
| 12 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | MA | $124,222 | $167,960 | $19,500 |
| 13 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $137,154 | $167,793 | $19,870 |
| 14 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $114,035 | $166,668 | $20,475 |
| 15 | Stony Brook University | NY | — | $160,724 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $145,228 | $233,037 | — |
| 2 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | GA | $166,436 | $200,093 | — |
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $139,825 | $197,857 | — |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $170,827 | $196,479 | — |
| 5 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $126,427 | $191,155 | — |
| 6 | New York University | NY | $127,432 | $186,339 | — |
| 7 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | $124,247 | $186,056 | — |
| 8 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | WA | $124,247 | $186,056 | — |
| 9 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | WA | $124,247 | $186,056 | — |
| 10 | Cornell University | NY | $117,684 | $185,222 | — |
| 11 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $146,079 | $174,474 | — |
| 12 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $169,498 | — | — |
| 13 | Harvard University | MA | $156,641 | — | — |
| 14 | Stevens Institute of Technology | NJ | — | $156,125 | — |
| 15 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $133,400 | $155,971 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of the Cumberlands | KY | $161,669 | — | — |
| 2 | Capella University | MN | $115,882 | $158,264 | — |
| 3 | Walden University | MN | $143,439 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Washington University | DC | $101,698 | — | — |
| 2 | University of St Thomas | MN | $100,515 | — | — |
| 3 | University of Denver | CO | — | $97,505 | — |
| 4 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | AZ | $62,364 | $93,940 | — |
| 5 | Florida Atlantic University | FL | $86,364 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Information Science/StudiesBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $91,142Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $85,974Computer Software and Media ApplicationsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $61,095Computer ScienceBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $108,513Computer ProgrammingBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $82,259Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $78,370Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, OtherBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $98,371Computer Systems AnalysisBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $79,327
Quick answers
- How much do computer and information sciences, general graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in computer and information sciences, general reports median earnings of $66,524. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
