U.S. median for this major: $100,157.
College Scorecard field of study; 59 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 20% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,365.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,816. College Scorecard.
CWU Computer Science: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Computer Science nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses CWU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $11,846 | $52,478 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $13,942 | $61,763 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $16,022 | $70,977 | 1.3 years |
| $75–110k | $21,682 | $96,051 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $26,719 | $118,365 | 2.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (32% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Computer Science graduates 4 years after graduating ($95,368) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $55,149 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Computer Science at Washington colleges
Every Washington college we cover that reports Computer Science graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $175,616 | $16,118 | $14,091 | 85% |
| 2 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | $175,616 | $16,118 | $12,319 | 65% |
| 3 | Seattle Pacific University | $133,039 | $18,908 | $24,488 | 62% |
| 4 | Seattle University | $128,314 | $24,980 | $34,662 | 76% |
| 5 | Gonzaga University | $121,512 | $27,000 | $35,119 | 86% |
| 6 | Washington State University | $119,686 | $22,453 | $14,971 | 61% |
| 7 | University of Puget Sound | $98,696 | $25,000 | $38,394 | 68% |
| 8 | Central Washington University | $95,368 | $19,467 | $18,476 | 54% |
| 9 | Whitworth University | $87,897 | $27,000 | $26,534 | 71% |
| 10 | Saint Martin's University | $80,166 | — | $28,119 | 52% |
5 more Washington colleges offer Computer Science but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Computer Science graduates
Software developer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Computer and Information Systems Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +15.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Data Scientists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +34.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at CWU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About CWU
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 54% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $61,580
- Full cost breakdown · all 113 majors · overview
Related majors at CWU
- Computer and Information Sciences$72,838
- Software and Media Applications—
- Information Technology—
- Data Science—
- Management Information Systems—
CWU Computer Science questions
How much do CWU Computer Science graduates earn?
Computer Science graduates of Central Washington University earn a median $95,368 four years after graduating and $52,362 one year after. The U.S. median for Computer Science graduates across 339 colleges is $100,157.
How much debt do CWU Computer Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Computer Science graduates of Central Washington University is $19,467, about 20% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,365.
Is CWU a good school for Computer Science in Washington?
On pay, Computer Science graduates of Central Washington University earn $95,368 four years out, $25,231 below the median for the same major across 10 Washington colleges ($120,599) and $4,789 below the U.S. median ($100,157). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does CWU rank for Computer Science in Washington?
Of 10 Washington colleges reporting Computer Science graduate earnings, Central Washington University ranks 8th. The highest is University of Washington-Seattle Campus at $175,616.
What jobs do Computer Science graduates get?
A common career is software developer, with a median wage of $166,540 in Washington and $135,980 nationally. Others include computer and information systems managers and data scientists.
Is CWU the right fit for your family?
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Central Washington University Computer Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-washington-university/majors/computer-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).