Computer Science
Offered at 1,453 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 | 37 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 253 | $42,371 | $72,167 | $11,500 |
| Bachelor's | 742 | $73,638 | $108,513 | $22,000 |
| Master's | 276 | $118,338 | $157,571 | — |
| Doctoral | 123 | — | — | — |
| Professional | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 21 | — | — | — |
"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.
One year after finishing, a typical associate program in this field reports median earnings of $42,371, versus $73,638 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Martin's University | WA | $97,962 | $116,305 | — |
| 2 | Bunker Hill Community College | MA | — | $89,906 | — |
| 3 | Missouri State University-Springfield | MO | $73,699 | — | $20,668 |
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 | City College of San Francisco | CA | — | $125,527 | — |
| 2 | Weber State University | UT | $81,767 | $104,446 | $18,396 |
| 3 | Northern Virginia Community College | VA | $47,900 | $93,537 | $8,775 |
| 4 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College | NY | $27,384 | $83,588 | $6,389 |
| 5 | Century College | MN | — | $80,101 | — |
| 6 | Nassau Community College | NY | — | $79,316 | — |
| 7 | Southern Maine Community College | ME | $66,994 | $77,614 | — |
| 8 | Davenport University | MI | — | $75,894 | — |
| 9 | Connecticut State Community College | CT | $35,403 | $75,882 | $6,500 |
| 10 | Normandale Community College | MN | — | $74,971 | $11,000 |
| 11 | North Hennepin Community College | MN | — | $74,254 | $15,700 |
| 12 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | NY | $37,960 | $70,080 | $9,500 |
| 13 | University of Arkansas Grantham | AR | — | $65,812 | $19,499 |
| 14 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | — | $64,097 | $12,000 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge Community College | LA | — | $62,753 | — |
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 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $173,492 | $271,805 | $19,000 |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | CA | $160,167 | $248,772 | — |
| 3 | Cornell University | NY | $151,551 | $239,085 | $12,500 |
| 4 | Stanford University | CA | $157,763 | $236,767 | $12,000 |
| 5 | Brown University | RI | $141,816 | $234,845 | $15,000 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $161,143 | $228,465 | $13,750 |
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $135,612 | $222,515 | $15,313 |
| 8 | Dartmouth College | NH | $137,406 | $217,493 | $11,000 |
| 9 | Harvard University | MA | $171,540 | $208,886 | $12,750 |
| 10 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $171,815 | $203,879 | $10,000 |
| 11 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $134,501 | $197,577 | $15,000 |
| 12 | Northwestern University | IL | $133,980 | $196,751 | $16,500 |
| 13 | Duke University | NC | $148,493 | $195,598 | $12,000 |
| 14 | University of Southern California | CA | $153,063 | $195,257 | $18,125 |
| 15 | University of Chicago | IL | $132,543 | $187,905 | $14,018 |
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 | Stanford University | CA | $190,776 | $251,042 | — |
| 2 | Cornell University | NY | $175,401 | $250,149 | — |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $160,898 | $234,753 | — |
| 4 | University of Southern California | CA | $152,365 | $227,202 | — |
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $157,956 | $219,555 | — |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $180,031 | $217,418 | — |
| 7 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | $131,191 | $203,292 | — |
| 8 | University of Chicago | IL | $176,945 | $191,910 | — |
| 9 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | NY | $152,362 | $190,627 | — |
| 10 | Northwestern University | IL | — | $186,182 | — |
| 11 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $118,338 | $184,755 | — |
| 12 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | $118,338 | $184,755 | — |
| 13 | Portland State University | OR | $112,908 | $183,118 | — |
| 14 | Drexel University | PA | $112,811 | $175,560 | — |
| 15 | Washington University in St Louis | MO | $126,391 | $173,856 | — |
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 | Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | CO | $154,263 | $154,141 | — |
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 | Seattle University | WA | — | $135,387 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do computer science graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in computer science reports median earnings of $73,638. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
