Computer Science Degree in Arlington, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Computer Science degree analysis for Arlington, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$121K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$185K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.7 yrs
in Arlington
Cost of Living
142.5
index (100 = avg)
Computer Science in Arlington, VA Overview
Arlington, Virginia (pop. 238,643) has 9 colleges offering Computer Science programs. The local cost of living index of 142.5 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,040/month. Computer Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Programming and Algorithms skills. The adjusted starting salary in Arlington is approximately $121,125, growing to $185,250 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$16,293/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,637/yr
Unemployment
2.2%
Graduation Rate
60%
Computer Science Salary in Arlington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Arlington's cost of living index of 142.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Computer Science salary: $85,000 starting, $130,000 mid-career, $165,000 senior level.Arlington adjustment factor: 1.43x based on the local cost of living index.
Computer Science ROI Calculator for Arlington
Estimate your return on investment for a Computer Science degree using local Arlington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Arlington avg aid: $10,637/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$121,972
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$71,250
vs HS diploma in Arlington
ROI Payback Period
1.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Arlington
$1,588,028
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,710,000) minus total education cost ($121,972)
Student Loan Payoff for Computer Science in Arlington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Arlington for Computer Science
Arlington State University
public
$14,920/yr
$59,680 total
University of Arlington
public
$14,115/yr
$56,460 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Arlington Community College
$6,397/yr
Virginia Technical College - Arlington
$5,927/yr
Top Employers for Computer Science in Arlington
Arlington offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Computer Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Arlington Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Computer Science Job Titles
Computer Science in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$75K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$77K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$79K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$85K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$79K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$87K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$82K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$75K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Arlington
Prompt Engineering
$71K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$135K starting · 2 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$125K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$117K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$114K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$71K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Computer Science Degree in Arlington — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Computer Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Arlington.