Computer Science Degree in Duluth, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Computer Science degree analysis for Duluth, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$85K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$130K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.1 yrs
in Duluth
Cost of Living
100
index (100 = avg)
Computer Science in Duluth, MN Overview
While Duluth has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Computer Science students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $12,662/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Computer Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Programming and Algorithms skills. The adjusted starting salary in Duluth is approximately $85,000, growing to $130,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$13,872/yr
Private Tuition
$41,612/yr
Room & Board
$12,662/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,990/yr
Unemployment
3.2%
Graduation Rate
64%
Computer Science Salary in Duluth (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Duluth's cost of living index of 100 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Computer Science salary: $85,000 starting, $130,000 mid-career, $165,000 senior level.Duluth adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Computer Science ROI Calculator for Duluth
Estimate your return on investment for a Computer Science degree using local Duluth tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,872 | Private avg: $41,612
Duluth avg aid: $15,990/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$106,136
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$50,000
vs HS diploma in Duluth
ROI Payback Period
2.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Duluth
$1,093,864
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,200,000) minus total education cost ($106,136)
Student Loan Payoff for Computer Science in Duluth
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Duluth for Computer Science
University of Minnesota Duluth
public
$13,872/yr
$55,488 total
College of St. Scholastica
private
$41,612/yr
$166,448 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lake Superior College
$5,772/yr
Top Employers for Computer Science in Duluth
Duluth offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Computer Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Duluth Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Computer Science Job Titles
Computer Science in Nearby Minnesota Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$82K starting · COL 97
15 colleges
Saint Paul, MN
$86K starting · COL 101.5
11 colleges
St. Paul, MN
$92K starting · COL 108
20 colleges
Rochester, MN
$89K starting · COL 105
8 colleges
Bloomington, MN
$85K starting · COL 100.2
4 colleges
Brooklyn Park, MN
$84K starting · COL 98.8
4 colleges
Plymouth, MN
$91K starting · COL 107.3
4 colleges
Maple Grove, MN
$91K starting · COL 107.4
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Duluth
Prompt Engineering
$50K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$95K starting · 2 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$88K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$50K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Computer Science Degree in Duluth — 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 Duluth.