Computer Science Degree in Lowell, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Computer Science degree analysis for Lowell, MA. 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
2.2 yrs
in Lowell
Cost of Living
112.5
index (100 = avg)
Computer Science in Lowell, MA Overview
While Lowell has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Computer Science students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,748/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 Lowell is approximately $95,625, growing to $146,250 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$16,100/yr
Private Tuition
$48,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,748/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,502/yr
Unemployment
3%
Graduation Rate
73%
Computer Science Salary in Lowell (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lowell'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.Lowell adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Computer Science ROI Calculator for Lowell
Estimate your return on investment for a Computer Science degree using local Lowell tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $16,100 | Private avg: $48,000
Lowell avg aid: $14,502/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$123,392
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$56,250
vs HS diploma in Lowell
ROI Payback Period
2.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lowell
$1,226,608
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,350,000) minus total education cost ($123,392)
Student Loan Payoff for Computer Science in Lowell
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lowell for Computer Science
Lowell State University
public
$16,448/yr
$65,792 total
University of Lowell
public
$18,005/yr
$72,020 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lowell Community College
$6,184/yr
Top Employers for Computer Science in Lowell
Lowell offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Computer Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lowell Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Computer Science Job Titles
Computer Science in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Boston, MA
$116K starting · COL 137
24 colleges
Worcester, MA
$99K starting · COL 117
11 colleges
Springfield, MA
$113K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Cambridge, MA
$113K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Brockton, MA
$92K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$109K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
New Bedford, MA
$87K starting · COL 102.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$101K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lowell
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 Lowell — 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 Lowell.