U.S. median for this major: $100,157.
College Scorecard field of study; 25 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 22% 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 $24,227. College Scorecard.
GSU 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 GSU'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 | $9,563 | $42,173 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $10,933 | $48,215 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $11,705 | $51,619 | 1.2 years |
| $75–110k | $16,741 | $73,828 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $22,076 | $97,355 | 2.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (13% 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 ($79,154) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $43,357 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $181,981 | $20,500 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 2 | University of Chicago | $178,068 | — | $14,860 | 96% |
| 3 | Northwestern University | $155,106 | $14,600 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 4 | Illinois Institute of Technology | $120,953 | $23,250 | $18,425 | 75% |
| 5 | University of Illinois Chicago | $120,470 | $19,087 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 6 | Illinois State University | $111,099 | $22,500 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 7 | Bradley University | $107,379 | $27,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $106,082 | $21,745 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 9 | University of Illinois Springfield | $102,020 | $30,301 | $9,833 | 53% |
| 10 | Elmhurst University | $101,273 | — | $24,185 | 70% |
| 11 | Northern Illinois University | $93,438 | $22,966 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 12 | Benedictine University | $91,698 | $24,000 | $22,313 | 50% |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $91,299 | $27,000 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 14 | Aurora University | $90,089 | $25,625 | $18,838 | 60% |
| 15 | Northeastern Illinois University | $88,917 | $15,750 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 16 | Dominican University | $86,730 | $27,000 | $11,745 | 55% |
| 17 | Augustana College | $83,339 | $27,000 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 18 | Lewis University | $82,159 | $23,250 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 19 | North Central College | $79,877 | $26,678 | $21,044 | 64% |
| 20 | Governors State University | $79,154 | $17,750 | $12,329 | 22% |
| 21 | Lake Forest College | $77,554 | $27,000 | $28,673 | 78% |
| 22 | Roosevelt University | $58,964 | $26,000 | $20,194 | 35% |
18 more Illinois 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 GSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About GSU
- Acceptance rate: 48% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 22% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $58,169
- Full cost breakdown · all 27 majors · overview
Related majors at GSU
GSU Computer Science questions
How much do GSU Computer Science graduates earn?
Computer Science graduates of Governors State University earn a median $79,154 four years after graduating and $52,115 one year after. The U.S. median for Computer Science graduates across 339 colleges is $100,157.
How much debt do GSU Computer Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Computer Science graduates of Governors State University is $17,750, about 22% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,365.
Is GSU a good school for Computer Science in Illinois?
On pay, Computer Science graduates of Governors State University earn $79,154 four years out, $13,414 below the median for the same major across 22 Illinois colleges ($92,568) and $21,003 below the U.S. median ($100,157). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does GSU rank for Computer Science in Illinois?
Of 22 Illinois colleges reporting Computer Science graduate earnings, Governors State University ranks 20th. The highest is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at $181,981.
What jobs do Computer Science graduates get?
A common career is software developer, 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.
Is GSU 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: “Governors State University Computer Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/governors-state-university/majors/computer-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).