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Best Value Colleges For Computer Science Majors

According to PayScale's College ROI Report, computer science majors have the best 20-year net return on investment out of any degrees on the list, which can probably be credited to the high earning potential a computer science degree warrants in today's technology-driven world. Read More

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ROI Type

20-Yr Net Annual %

Rank

School Name

20 Year Net ROI

Total 4 Year Cost

Graduation Rate

Typical Years to Graduate

Average Loan Amount

University of California - Berkeley(In-State)

$1,133,000

$136,000

91%

4 Years

$23,300

1	University of California - Berkeley(In-State)
	Annual ROI	11.8%
	Annual ROI	12.7%
	Annual ROI	15.8%
	Annual ROI	17.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,133,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,153,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,201,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,221,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$136,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$116,000
	Grad Rate	91%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,300
	Grant Money Received	53%

University of Washington (UW) - Main Campus(In-State)

$1,050,000

$107,000

84%

4 Years

$23,600

2	University of Washington (UW) - Main Campus(In-State)
	Annual ROI	12.6%
	Annual ROI	12.4%
	Annual ROI	17.2%
	Annual ROI	16.7%
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,050,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,045,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,108,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,104,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$107,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$111,000
	Grad Rate	84%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,600
	Grant Money Received	38%

University of California - San Diego (UCSD), Warren College(In-State)

$1,045,000

$123,000

86%

4 Years

$22,600

3	University of California - San Diego (UCSD), Warren College(In-State)
	Annual ROI	11.9%
	Annual ROI	12.1%
	Annual ROI	16.5%
	Annual ROI	17.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,045,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,049,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,113,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,118,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$123,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$118,000
	Grad Rate	86%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$22,600
	Grant Money Received	56%

University of California - Berkeley(Out-of-State)

$1,040,000

$229,000

91%

4 Years

$23,300

4	University of California - Berkeley(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	8.9%
	Annual ROI	9.4%
	Annual ROI	10.9%
	Annual ROI	11.6%
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,040,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,059,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,108,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,128,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$229,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$209,000
	Grad Rate	91%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,300
	Grant Money Received	53%

Georgia Institute of Technology(In-State)

$999,000

$96,200

82%

5 Years

$31,700

5	Georgia Institute of Technology(In-State)
	Annual ROI	12.9%
	Annual ROI	12.4%
	Annual ROI	16.2%
	Annual ROI	15.3%
	20 Year Net ROI	$999,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$990,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,042,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,032,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$96,200
	Total 4 Year Cost	$106,000
	Grad Rate	82%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$31,700
	Grant Money Received	71%

University of Washington (UW) - Main Campus(Out-of-State)

$969,000

$187,000

84%

4 Years

$23,600

6	University of Washington (UW) - Main Campus(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	9.5%
	Annual ROI	9.4%
	Annual ROI	11.6%
	Annual ROI	11.4%
	20 Year Net ROI	$969,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$965,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,027,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,023,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$187,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$192,000
	Grad Rate	84%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,600
	Grant Money Received	38%

Brigham Young University (BYU)(Private)

$966,000

$70,500

79%

5 Years

$20,200

7	Brigham Young University (BYU)(Private)
	Annual ROI	14.4%
	Annual ROI	14.4%
	Annual ROI	16.1%
	Annual ROI	16.1%
	20 Year Net ROI	$966,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$966,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$984,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$984,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$70,500
	Total 4 Year Cost	$70,500
	Grad Rate	79%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$20,200
	Grant Money Received	50%

University of California - San Diego (UCSD), Warren College(Out-of-State)

$951,000

$217,000

86%

4 Years

$22,600

8	University of California - San Diego (UCSD), Warren College(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	8.8%
	Annual ROI	8.9%
	Annual ROI	10.9%
	Annual ROI	11.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	$951,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$956,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,019,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,024,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$217,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$212,000
	Grad Rate	86%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$22,600
	Grant Money Received	56%

California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) - San Luis Obispo(In-State)

$947,000

$98,300

75%

5 Years

$23,400

9	California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) - San Luis Obispo(In-State)
	Annual ROI	12.5%
	Annual ROI	12.5%
	Annual ROI	14.3%
	Annual ROI	14.2%
	20 Year Net ROI	$947,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$946,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$973,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$972,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$98,300
	Total 4 Year Cost	$99,300
	Grad Rate	75%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,400
	Grant Money Received	37%

University of Virginia (UVA) - Main Campus(In-State)

$938,000

$108,000

94%

4 Years

$29,300

10	University of Virginia (UVA) - Main Campus(In-State)
	Annual ROI	12.0%
	Annual ROI	12.0%
	Annual ROI	17.9%
	Annual ROI	17.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$938,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$938,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,008,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$1,007,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$108,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$109,000
	Grad Rate	94%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$29,300
	Grant Money Received	33%

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)(In-State)

$936,000

$117,000

84%

4 Years

$28,700

11	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	11.6%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	15.0%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$936,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$988,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$117,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Grad Rate	84%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$28,700
	Grant Money Received	45%

Georgia Institute of Technology(Out-of-State)

$921,000

$174,000

82%

5 Years

$31,700

12	Georgia Institute of Technology(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	9.6%
	Annual ROI	9.3%
	Annual ROI	11.2%
	Annual ROI	10.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$921,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$912,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$964,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$954,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$174,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$184,000
	Grad Rate	82%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$31,700
	Grant Money Received	71%

James Madison University (JMU)(In-State)

$905,000

$93,400

82%

4 Years

$29,600

13	James Madison University (JMU)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	12.6%
	Annual ROI	12.6%
	Annual ROI	14.9%
	Annual ROI	14.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	$905,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$905,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$936,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$936,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$93,400
	Total 4 Year Cost	$93,400
	Grad Rate	82%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$29,600
	Grant Money Received	26%

California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) - San Luis Obispo(Out-of-State)

$902,000

$143,000

75%

5 Years

$23,400

14	California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) - San Luis Obispo(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	10.4%
	Annual ROI	10.4%
	Annual ROI	11.5%
	Annual ROI	11.5%
	20 Year Net ROI	$902,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$901,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$928,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$927,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$143,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$144,000
	Grad Rate	75%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,400
	Grant Money Received	37%

University of Delaware(In-State)

$900,000

$103,000

79%

4 Years

$34,400

15	University of Delaware(In-State)
	Annual ROI	12.0%
	Annual ROI	12.0%
	Annual ROI	14.3%
	Annual ROI	14.3%
	20 Year Net ROI	$900,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$900,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$934,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$934,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$103,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$103,000
	Grad Rate	79%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$34,400
	Grant Money Received	73%

See Full List

*NOTE: Unranked schools on this list don’t have on-campus living options, so on-campus costs are not available.

In case you hadn't noticed, technology is ubiquitous these days, permeating every facet of our world, from the iPhone in your pocket to Google's self-driving cars roaming the streets outside your office. This explosion in tech means there's a relative scarcity of employees who can invent, code, develop build it all, and computer science and math majors are poised to cash in on that shortage. PayScale's College ROI Report provides expected return on investment for different majors based on expected 20-year earnings for alumni from top universities across the nation, and the return on investment for computer science majors is the highest overall. And by using the College ROI Report, computer science majors can use the findings to make an informed decision of which computer science programs offer the best return for their educational dollar.

Perennially coming in as one for best value colleges for computer science majors is Stanford University in Silicon Valley, home to some of the largest high-tech companies and startups in the world. Stanford might top the charts for best college for students to pursue a computer science degree, but it, unfortunately, is also at the top of the list for having one of the worst college mascots; a tree ('Cardinal", if you're feeling fancy). In fact, Stanford doesn't actually have a mascot, the school unofficially reverted to "Cardinal" because it was the university's color. Official mascot or not, Stanford's graduation rate is still near perfect at 96 percent.

New York City's Columbia University, is a prestigious Ivy League school that was one of the nine colonial colleges founded before the Revolutionary War, and was also the school where -- among other US Presidents -- President Barack Obama earned his undergraduate degree.

Another high-ranked school for computer science majors in our College ROI report is a consistently high performer across the board: UC Berkeley.

All three top-tier best value colleges for computer science majors prove to be wise investments. One thing's for sure, computer science majors can expect one of the most lucrative ROIs out of any degree on the College ROI Report. Use PayScale's College ROI Report to see how well a computer science degree from your current or potential university pays its alumni back in the real world.