Computer Software and Media Applications: 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 117 college programs, at a typical net price.
The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.
What Computer Software and Media Applications pays
Career outlook for Computer Software and Media Applications graduates
The job market for the occupations Computer Software and Media Applications 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 |
| Computer and information systems managers | 667,100 | +15.2% | $171,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Graphic designers | 265,900 | +2.1% | $61,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Data scientists | 245,900 | +33.5% | $112,590 | Bachelor's degree |
| Web and digital interface designers | 128,900 | +7.0% | $98,090 | Bachelor's degree |
| Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary | 122,200 | +0.7% | $61,490 | 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 Software and Media Applications vs similar majors
How Computer Software and Media Applications 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 Software and Media Applications Computer & Information Sciences · this major | Computer Science | Information Science/Studies | Computer and Information Sciences, General | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 27 F | 91 A | 86 A | 87 A |
| ROI verdict | Break-even | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $54,597 | $112,491 | $90,493 | $85,293 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $41,310 | $78,962 | $65,420 | $63,699 |
| ROI vs cost | +15% | +743% | +441% | +399% |
| Typical debt | $31,736 | $22,058 | $33,157 | $23,998 |
| Colleges offering it | 117 | 309 | 220 | 579 |
Computer Software and Media Applications 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 Software and Media Applications
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 | Lorain County Community College Elyria, OH | Certificate | $68,796 | — | +5,899% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Certificate | $85,919 | — | +2,927% | Strong return |
| 3 | Brigham Young University-Idaho Rexburg, ID | Associate's | $85,603 | $9,312 | +1,947% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $165,219 | — | +1,736% | Strong return |
| 5 | Northcentral Technical College Wausau, WI | Certificate | $59,970 | — | +1,353% | Strong return |
| 6 | Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac, WI | Certificate | $57,170 | — | +1,213% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | Certificate | $170,198 | $38,614 | +1,148% | Strong return |
| 8 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | Certificate | $143,908 | $29,283 | +1,138% | Strong return |
| 9 | Park University Parkville, MO | Associate's | $91,512 | — | +1,006% | Strong return |
| 10 | Baker College Owosso, MI | Associate's | $86,042 | $40,744 | +897% | Strong return |
| 11 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT | Associate's | $57,240 | — | +860% | Strong return |
| 12 | Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO | Associate's | $76,903 | $23,250 | +679% | Strong return |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI | Associate's | $78,990 | $25,500 | +668% | Strong return |
| 14 | Dunwoody College of Technology Minneapolis, MN | Certificate | $70,990 | $20,000 | +659% | Strong return |
| 15 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY | Associate's | $99,801 | $27,000 | +588% | Strong return |
| 16 | Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg, PA | Certificate | $57,544 | $13,809 | +543% | Strong return |
| 17 | University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Certificate | $52,765 | — | +474% | Strong return |
| 18 | Portland Community College Portland, OR | Certificate | $50,936 | — | +471% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI | Associate's | $66,280 | $22,939 | +468% | Strong return |
| 20 | Lake Washington Institute of Technology Kirkland, WA | Certificate | $48,869 | — | +468% | Strong return |
| 21 | DePaul University Chicago, IL | Certificate | $123,737 | $47,832 | +458% | Strong return |
| 22 | Pace University New York, NY | Certificate | $110,053 | — | +427% | Strong return |
| 23 | DePaul University Chicago, IL | Associate's | $80,861 | $24,999 | +406% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Associate's | $66,235 | $43,911 | +393% | Strong return |
| 25 | Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT | Associate's | $84,242 | — | +382% | 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.