Computer Science Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Study of computation, algorithms, and information systems.
Starting Salary
$85K
median
Mid-Career
$130K
salary
ROI Payback
2.8 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
2.1%
rate
Computer Science Overview
Study of computation, algorithms, and information systems.
Category
STEM
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
72%
Enrollment Trend
growing
Online Available
Yes
Underemployment
12%
Lifetime Premium
$1200K
Female Graduates
22%
Computer Science Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$20,250
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$20,250
after scholarships
ROI Payback
0 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$1,179,750
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,200,000) minus net degree cost ($20,250)
Computer Science Salary Progression
Common Computer Science Careers
Software Engineer
Data Scientist
Product Manager
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Computer Science
#1
MIT
#2
Stanford
#3
Carnegie Mellon
#4
UC Berkeley
#5
Georgia Tech
Related Majors
Computer Science Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Computer Science Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for computer science programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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