Remember all those grueling hours combing through code for that one tiny bug? Or turning a project in seconds before the professor's deadline after staying up all night, fueled by NoDoz, Doritos, and Mountain Dew? It was all worth it, right? Apparently it's been more worth it for those who chose wisely when selecting their institutions of higher learning.
Still, the value of any degree, especially one in computer science, is very worthwhile. According to a survey of the class of 2014 by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average starting salary for new college graduates earning bachelor’s degrees in computer science was $67,300. That's $18,600 more than the overall average for bachelor's degrees, which stood at $48,700.
And that value grows over time as professionals acquire market expertise and experience. Data analysis company PayScale tracked graduates and salaries to develop an ROI Report on US colleges, sortable by major and several other factors. Here the site will estimate the annual return on your college investment based on the total college costs (tuition, room, board and supplies minus the average financial aid award) to get a bachelor's degree at hundreds of colleges, and -- if you graduate today -- what your total expected income will be over 20 years.
We sorted to find the schools whose computer science majors earned the most after graduation. Some of the heavy-hitters you'd expect turned up, as well as some schools that may not be on your radar at all.
Is your alma mater in the top 20? Are you surprised at the results? Let us know in the comments.
1. University of Virginia
Charlotte, Va.
Acceptance rate: 28%
Enrollment: 21,100
2013 adjusted in-state tuition: $25,880
20-year net return: $1,307,000
Annual ROI: 22.0%
UVA Department of Computer Science
2. University of Washington
Seattle, Wash.
Acceptance rate: 59%
Enrollment: 40,000
2013 adjusted in-state tuition: $37,640
20-year net return: $1,196,000
Annual ROI: 19.3%
UW Department of Computer Science and Engineering
3. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Ga.
Acceptance rate: 33%
Enrollment: 21,600
2013 adjusted in-state tuition: $37,350
20-year net return: $967,600
Annual ROI: 18.1%
Georgia Tech College of Computing
4. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, Calif.
Acceptance rate: 17%
Enrollment: 35,900
2013 adjusted in-state tuition: $64,210
20-year net return: $1,553,000
Annual ROI: 17.7%
Berkeley College of Engineering
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, Mass.
Acceptance rate: 6%
Enrollment: 28,100
2013 adjusted tuition: $53,910
20-year net return: $1,314,000
Annual ROI: 17.7%
Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
6. The College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, Va.
Acceptance rate: 33%
Enrollment: 8300
2013 adjusted in-state tuition: $39,590
20-year net return: $935,200
Annual ROI: 17.6%
W&M Department of Computer Science
7. University of North Texas
Denton, Texas
Enrollment: 36,200
2013 adjusted in-state tuition: $34,120
20-year net return: $804,400
Annual ROI: 17.6%
UNT College of Engineering
8. University of Texas at Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Acceptance rate: 52%
Enrollment: 19,900
2013 adjusted in-state tuition: $35,690
20-year net return: $812,200
Annual ROI: 17.4%
UT Dallas Erik Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science
9. Stanford University
Palo Alto, Calif.
Acceptance rate: 5%
Enrollment: 15,900
2013 adjusted tuition: $74,870
20-year net return: $1,718,000
Annual ROI: 17.4%
Stanford School of Engineering
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