Computer Science Degree in Racine, WI — Salary & ROI 2026
Computer Science degree analysis for Racine, WI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$73K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$112K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.2 yrs
in Racine
Cost of Living
85.8
index (100 = avg)
Computer Science in Racine, WI Overview
While Racine has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Computer Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,562/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 Racine is approximately $72,930, growing to $111,540 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,600/yr
Private Tuition
$34,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,562/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,051/yr
Unemployment
2.1%
Graduation Rate
72%
Computer Science Salary in Racine (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Racine's cost of living index of 85.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Computer Science salary: $85,000 starting, $130,000 mid-career, $165,000 senior level.Racine adjustment factor: 0.86x based on the local cost of living index.
Computer Science ROI Calculator for Racine
Estimate your return on investment for a Computer Science degree using local Racine tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,600 | Private avg: $34,000
Racine avg aid: $8,051/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,648
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$42,900
vs HS diploma in Racine
ROI Payback Period
2.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Racine
$936,952
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,029,600) minus total education cost ($92,648)
Student Loan Payoff for Computer Science in Racine
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Racine for Computer Science
Racine State University
public
$11,121/yr
$44,484 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Racine Community College
$5,143/yr
Top Employers for Computer Science in Racine
Racine offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Computer Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Racine Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Computer Science Job Titles
Computer Science in Nearby Wisconsin Cities
Milwaukee, WI
$80K starting · COL 94
33 colleges
Madison, WI
$76K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Green Bay, WI
$73K starting · COL 86
6 colleges
Kenosha, WI
$90K starting · COL 106
8 colleges
Appleton, WI
$67K starting · COL 79
6 colleges
Waukesha, WI
$77K starting · COL 90.5
3 colleges
Eau Claire, WI
$73K starting · COL 86
2 colleges
Oshkosh, WI
$91K starting · COL 107
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Racine
Prompt Engineering
$43K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$82K starting · 2 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$76K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$69K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$43K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Computer Science Degree in Racine — 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 Racine.