Computer Science: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Computer Science graduates earn a median $107,009 four years after finishing — $58,649/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 1.2 years. Federal data pools 661 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 41,338 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Computer Science ranks #5 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 98% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $268,121 |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $225,141 |
| 3 | Cornell University | NY | $223,309 |
| 4 | Princeton University | NJ | $217,973 |
| 5 | Pomona College | CA | $217,051 |
| 6 | Stanford University | CA | $214,907 |
| 7 | Brown University | RI | $214,479 |
| 8 | Williams College | MA | $209,574 |
| 9 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $204,379 |
| 10 | Harvard University | MA | $203,169 |
| 11 | Dartmouth College | NH | $201,702 |
| 12 | Duke University | NC | $195,809 |
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 Science pay grow after graduation?
From $72,884 one year out to $107,009 four years out — a $34,125 climb, or 47% 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 Science each year?
About 41,338 bachelor's graduates a year across 661 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.