Computer Programming: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 88 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Computer Programming pays
Career outlook for Computer Programming graduates
The job market for the occupations Computer Programming graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software developers | 1,693,800 | +15.8% | $133,080 | Bachelor's degree |
| Software quality assurance analysts and testers | 201,700 | +10.0% | $102,610 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer network support specialists | 152,700 | +1.8% | $73,340 | Associate's degree |
| Web and digital interface designers | 128,900 | +7.0% | $98,090 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer programmers | 121,200 | -6.0% | $98,670 | Bachelor's degree |
| Web developers | 86,000 | +7.5% | $90,930 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Computer Programming vs similar majors
How Computer Programming stacks up against the closest fields in Computer & Information Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Computer Programming Computer & Information Sciences · this major | Computer Science | Information Science/Studies | Computer and Information Sciences, General | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 62 C | 91 A | 86 A | 87 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $66,264 | $112,491 | $90,493 | $85,293 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $50,714 | $78,962 | $65,420 | $63,699 |
| ROI vs cost | +166% | +743% | +441% | +399% |
| Typical debt | $21,883 | $22,058 | $33,157 | $23,998 |
| Colleges offering it | 88 | 309 | 220 | 579 |
Computer Programming earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Computer Programming
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Ford College Dearborn, MI | Certificate | $52,664 | — | +11,512% | Strong return |
| 2 | Hillsborough College Tampa, FL | Certificate | $76,035 | — | +7,938% | Strong return |
| 3 | Essex County College Newark, NJ | Certificate | $68,836 | — | +5,273% | Strong return |
| 4 | Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH | Certificate | $75,665 | — | +5,018% | Strong return |
| 5 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH | Certificate | $80,893 | $9,006 | +4,251% | Strong return |
| 6 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GA | Certificate | $57,528 | — | +3,577% | Strong return |
| 7 | Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GA | Certificate | $78,089 | $6,333 | +3,575% | Strong return |
| 8 | Lansing Community College Lansing, MI | Certificate | $64,888 | — | +3,558% | Strong return |
| 9 | Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City Kansas City, MO | Certificate | $73,681 | — | +3,315% | Strong return |
| 10 | Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OH | Certificate | $59,496 | — | +3,298% | Strong return |
| 11 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College Long Island City, NY | Certificate | $63,881 | — | +2,985% | Strong return |
| 12 | Amarillo College Amarillo, TX | Certificate | $58,190 | — | +2,767% | Strong return |
| 13 | Dallas College Dallas, TX | Certificate | $64,460 | $10,171 | +2,712% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Certificate | $90,303 | $7,125 | +2,711% | Strong return |
| 15 | University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn, MI | Associate's | $117,020 | $18,502 | +2,700% | Strong return |
| 16 | Dallas College Dallas, TX | Certificate | $53,870 | — | +2,660% | Strong return |
| 17 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC | Certificate | $65,848 | — | +2,280% | Strong return |
| 18 | St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud, MN | Certificate | $67,638 | — | +2,250% | Strong return |
| 19 | Austin Community College District Austin, TX | Certificate | $73,198 | $17,500 | +2,109% | Strong return |
| 20 | Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee, WI | Certificate | $69,015 | — | +2,063% | Strong return |
| 21 | Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI | Certificate | $74,964 | $9,048 | +1,938% | Strong return |
| 22 | Portland Community College Portland, OR | Certificate | $65,818 | — | +1,901% | Strong return |
| 23 | St Petersburg College St. Petersburg, FL | Certificate | $57,864 | $13,683 | +1,892% | Strong return |
| 24 | Northcentral Technical College Wausau, WI | Certificate | $65,188 | — | +1,859% | Strong return |
| 25 | Baker College Owosso, MI | Associate's | $95,210 | — | +1,808% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.