Computer and Information Sciences, General: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates earn a median $92,374 four years after finishing — $44,014/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 1.5 years. Federal data pools 787 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 41,968 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Computer and Information Sciences, General ranks #19 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 91% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $241,380 |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $216,722 |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $196,467 |
| 4 | Yale University | CT | $188,157 |
| 5 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $187,437 |
| 6 | Rice University | TX | $182,443 |
| 7 | Wellesley College | MA | $177,213 |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $172,904 |
| 9 | Northeastern University | MA | $163,708 |
| 10 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | MA | $163,708 |
| 11 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $155,168 |
| 12 | Swarthmore College | PA | $150,942 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Computer and Information Sciences, General pay grow after graduation?
From $67,315 one year out to $92,374 four years out — a $25,059 climb, or 37% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Computer and Information Sciences, General each year?
About 41,968 bachelor's graduates a year across 787 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.