Computer Science Degree in Lafayette, LA — Salary & ROI 2026
Computer Science degree analysis for Lafayette, LA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$88K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$135K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.7 yrs
in Lafayette
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Computer Science in Lafayette, LA Overview
While Lafayette has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Computer Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $11,349/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 Lafayette is approximately $88,400, growing to $135,200 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$10,374/yr
Private Tuition
$38,796/yr
Room & Board
$11,349/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,367/yr
Unemployment
4.8%
Graduation Rate
66%
Computer Science Salary in Lafayette (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lafayette's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Computer Science salary: $85,000 starting, $130,000 mid-career, $165,000 senior level.Lafayette adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Computer Science ROI Calculator for Lafayette
Estimate your return on investment for a Computer Science degree using local Lafayette tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,374 | Private avg: $38,796
Lafayette avg aid: $7,367/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,892
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$52,000
vs HS diploma in Lafayette
ROI Payback Period
1.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lafayette
$1,161,108
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,248,000) minus total education cost ($86,892)
Student Loan Payoff for Computer Science in Lafayette
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lafayette for Computer Science
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
public
$10,374/yr
$41,496 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
South Louisiana Community College
$4,236/yr
Top Employers for Computer Science in Lafayette
Lafayette offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Computer Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lafayette Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Computer Science Job Titles
Computer Science in Nearby Louisiana Cities
New Orleans, LA
$77K starting · COL 90
23 colleges
Baton Rouge, LA
$70K starting · COL 82
16 colleges
Shreveport, LA
$84K starting · COL 99
14 colleges
Metairie, LA
$76K starting · COL 89.4
6 colleges
Lake Charles, LA
$68K starting · COL 80
6 colleges
Bossier City, LA
$75K starting · COL 87.8
3 colleges
Kenner, LA
$79K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lafayette
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$99K starting · 2 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$52K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Computer Science Degree in Lafayette — 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 Lafayette.