Computer and Information Sciences

CMU Computer Science is one of the most valuable undergraduate programs in the country by any earnings metric. Two hundred seventy graduates earn a median $171,264 in year one and $268,121 by year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.125 (ROI grade A) means graduates carry roughly $21,442 in debt -- a sum that represents weeks of starting salary. CMU CS graduates enter software engineering, AI research, and quantitative roles at technology companies, financial firms, and research labs at rates that explain the four-year trajectory. The school's location in Pittsburgh has not constrained placement: the alumni network and recruiting relationships are national and global.

Computer and Information Sciences is Penn's highest-earning program: 177 graduates, $146,204 year-one and $241,380 year-four -- the highest four-year figure for CS/CIS in this entire cohort. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.103 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $15,000. Penn CIS graduates enter software engineering, quantitative finance, and data science at major technology and financial firms. The $241k four-year figure reflects equity compensation and promotion velocity at top-tier employers, combined with Penn's specific recruiting networks in New York finance and Silicon Valley technology. This is among the most defensible CIS ROI cases in the dataset.

MIT CS is the highest-earning large program in this cohort: 389 graduates, $154,492 median at year one, $225,141 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.078 (ROI grade A) is the best CS ratio in this group -- graduates borrow a median $12,000 against earnings that exceed $154,000 immediately. The placement runs into software engineering, machine learning research, and quantitative finance at the most selective firms globally. MIT's reputation in algorithms, systems, and AI research creates a specific hiring signal that produces top-percentile compensation from day one. The $225k four-year figure reflects equity compensation and promotion velocity at top-tier technology and finance employers.

Cornell CS is the highest-earning program in the dataset with sufficient volume: 507 graduates, $152,656 median at one year, $223,309 at four years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.096 (ROI grade A) is among the lowest on this site -- graduates borrow a median $14,698 and earn more than $150,000 immediately. The career path runs into software engineering, machine learning, and quantitative roles at major technology companies, financial institutions, and research organizations that actively recruit from Cornell's Ithaca campus. This is one of the most defensible program-level ROI cases in American higher education.

201 graduates with 1-year earnings of $146,624 and 4-year earnings of $217,973 -- among the highest CS earnings in the Scorecard dataset. Princeton CS graduates are recruited aggressively by technology firms, hedge funds using quantitative strategies, and AI research labs. The school's reputation in theoretical computer science and its connections to major tech employers create a premium market for its graduates. Debt data is not available for this program specifically, but the school-wide median debt of $10,320 is extremely low.

Computer Science delivers the highest one-year earnings in the data at $143,084 -- a figure that reflects strong software engineering placement, likely at tech companies in the Los Angeles and San Francisco markets. At four years out, the median reaches $217,051. With 49 graduates, the program is small enough that each student likely benefits from close mentorship. Pomona CS graduates compete on liberal arts credentials alongside technical skills, which differentiates them in product management, UX, and startup roles. No debt data is available, but school-wide debt figures ($11,782 median) indicate low borrowing relative to these outcomes.

UCLA's Computer and Information Sciences program reports $136,099 median at year one and $216,722 at year four (ROI grade A, DTE 0.112). These figures are among the highest in this dataset. Median debt of $15,248 against $136k year-one earnings produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.112 -- meaning graduates earn their debt load back in about six weeks of salary. UCLA CS recruits directly into the Los Angeles and Silicon Valley technology ecosystem; Google, Snap, and virtually every major technology company maintain active UCLA recruiting relationships. The combination of earnings, low debt, and LA-market access makes this one of the strongest program-level ROI cases at any public university.

Stanford Computer Science is one of the most valuable undergraduate programs in the country. With 293 graduates per year, first-year median earnings of $138,613, and four-year earnings of $214,907, the financial return is extraordinary. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.075 is the result of minimal debt ($10,399 median) against massive earnings. Stanford CS graduates have disproportionate placement in technology firms, venture-backed startups, and quantitative finance. The Stanford brand in Silicon Valley is uniquely powerful -- alumni networks, faculty connections, and research proximity create career acceleration unavailable elsewhere. An A grade reflects understated ROI given that four-year earnings are multiples of the total four-year cost for most students.

Computer Science at Brown produces 236 graduates annually into the top tier of the technology job market. Early-career median earnings of $151,065 -- among the highest in this entire dataset -- reach $214,479 by year four. The A-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.076 with $11,500 in median debt is extraordinary. Brown CS graduates enter the most competitive segments of the software industry: Silicon Valley, New York fintech, and the consulting firms that pay premium salaries. The combination of Brown's name recognition, strong networks, and Providence/Boston/NYC proximity creates a recruitment pipeline that translates consistently into top-quartile starting salaries. This is one of the strongest undergraduate CS programs in the country by earnings outcomes.

CS at Williams produces 56 graduates per year -- small volume relative to university CS programs but meaningful in the context of a 2,076-student liberal arts college. Median earnings hit $110,814 at one year and $209,574 at four years. Median debt is $12,208 and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.110 earns an ROI grade of A. These are among the highest four-year earnings in this dataset for any program at any school. The Williams CS graduate brings both technical training and the liberal arts analytical background that technology employers increasingly seek for product management, research, and technical leadership roles. The small cohort size means individual access to faculty is high and research collaboration is possible in ways that are difficult at large CS departments. Students who choose Williams over a flagship university CS program are trading volume and recruiting infrastructure for depth of preparation.