Computer Science Degree in Frederick, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Computer Science degree analysis for Frederick, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$96K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$146K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.9 yrs
in Frederick
Cost of Living
112.5
index (100 = avg)
Computer Science in Frederick, MD Overview
While Frederick has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Computer Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,475/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 Frederick is approximately $95,625, growing to $146,250 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,475/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,491/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
66%
Computer Science Salary in Frederick (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Frederick's cost of living index of 112.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Computer Science salary: $85,000 starting, $130,000 mid-career, $165,000 senior level.Frederick adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Computer Science ROI Calculator for Frederick
Estimate your return on investment for a Computer Science degree using local Frederick tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Frederick avg aid: $13,491/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,100
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$56,250
vs HS diploma in Frederick
ROI Payback Period
1.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Frederick
$1,244,900
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,350,000) minus total education cost ($105,100)
Student Loan Payoff for Computer Science in Frederick
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Frederick for Computer Science
Frederick State University
public
$11,147/yr
$44,588 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Frederick Community College
$6,149/yr
Top Employers for Computer Science in Frederick
Frederick offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Computer Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Frederick Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Computer Science Job Titles
Computer Science in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$111K starting · COL 130
22 colleges
Columbia, MD
$108K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$104K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$103K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$97K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$92K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$109K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$99K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Frederick
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$56K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Computer Science Degree in Frederick — 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 Frederick.