U.S. median for this major: $61,451.
College Scorecard field of study; 18 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 24% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,394.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $63,052. College Scorecard.
DePaul University Software and Media Applications: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Illinois colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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.
Software and Media Applications nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses DePaul University'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 | $27,359 | $115,729 | 1.9 years |
| $30–48k | $25,950 | $109,769 | 1.8 years |
| $48–75k | $28,687 | $121,346 | 2.0 years |
| $75–110k | $31,057 | $131,371 | 2.2 years |
| $110k+ | $37,092 | $156,899 | 2.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (56% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Software and Media Applications graduates 4 years after graduating ($96,616) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $60,819 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.
Careers for Software and Media Applications graduates
Software Developers
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 DePaul University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About DePaul University
- Acceptance rate: 76% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 68% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $68,751
- Full cost breakdown · all 73 majors · overview
Related majors at DePaul University
- Computer Science—
- Computer and Information Sciences$84,554
- Information Technology$113,645
- Information Science / Studies$82,551
- Data Science—
- Computer Programming$101,315
DePaul University Software and Media Applications questions
How much do DePaul University Software and Media Applications graduates earn?
Software and Media Applications graduates of DePaul University earn a median $96,616 four years after graduating and $54,859 one year after. The U.S. median for Software and Media Applications graduates across 37 colleges is $61,451.
How much debt do DePaul University Software and Media Applications graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Software and Media Applications graduates of DePaul University is $23,249, about 24% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,394.
Where does DePaul University rank for Software and Media Applications in Illinois?
Of 1 Illinois colleges reporting Software and Media Applications graduate earnings, DePaul University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Software and Media Applications graduates get?
A common career is software developers, with a median wage of $134,380 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area and $135,980 nationally. Others include computer and information systems managers and data scientists.
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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: “DePaul University Software and Media Applications: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/depaul-university/majors/software-and-media-applications (College Scorecard and BLS data).