Computer Science Degree in Erie, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Computer Science degree analysis for Erie, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$102K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$156K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.5 yrs
in Erie
Cost of Living
120
index (100 = avg)
Computer Science in Erie, PA Overview
While Erie has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Computer Science students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $21,896/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 Erie is approximately $102,000, growing to $156,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,346/yr
Private Tuition
$35,160/yr
Room & Board
$21,896/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,237/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
63%
Computer Science Salary in Erie (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Erie's cost of living index of 120 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Computer Science salary: $85,000 starting, $130,000 mid-career, $165,000 senior level.Erie adjustment factor: 1.20x based on the local cost of living index.
Computer Science ROI Calculator for Erie
Estimate your return on investment for a Computer Science degree using local Erie tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,346 | Private avg: $35,160
Erie avg aid: $15,237/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$148,968
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$60,000
vs HS diploma in Erie
ROI Payback Period
2.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Erie
$1,291,032
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,440,000) minus total education cost ($148,968)
Student Loan Payoff for Computer Science in Erie
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Erie for Computer Science
Gannon University
private
$35,160/yr
$140,640 total
Penn State Behrend
public
$15,346/yr
$61,384 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Erie Community College
$5,070/yr
Top Employers for Computer Science in Erie
Erie offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Computer Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Erie Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Computer Science Job Titles
Computer Science in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia, PA
$128K starting · COL 150
42 colleges
Pittsburgh, PA
$98K starting · COL 115
12 colleges
Allentown, PA
$96K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$100K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Upper Darby, PA
$80K starting · COL 94.5
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$102K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$106K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$78K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Erie
Prompt Engineering
$60K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$114K starting · 2 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$106K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$96K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$60K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Computer Science Degree in Erie — 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 Erie.