U.S. median for this major: $100,157.
College Scorecard field of study; 58 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 30% 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 $28,329. College Scorecard.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale'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 | $9,415 | $40,673 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $8,497 | $36,707 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $10,308 | $44,531 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $17,724 | $76,568 | 1.4 years |
| $110k+ | $23,254 | $100,457 | 1.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (40% 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 ($91,299) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $55,502 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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,390
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Computer and Information Sciences$69,552
- Information Science / Studies—
- Computer Engineering$85,056
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Computer Science questions
How much do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Computer Science graduates earn?
Computer Science graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn a median $91,299 four years after graduating and $70,053 one year after. The U.S. median for Computer Science graduates across 339 colleges is $100,157.
How much debt do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Computer Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Computer Science graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $27,000, about 30% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,365.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale a good school for Computer Science in Illinois?
On pay, Computer Science graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn $91,299 four years out, $1,269 below the median for the same major across 22 Illinois colleges ($92,568) and $8,858 below the U.S. median ($100,157). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale rank for Computer Science in Illinois?
Of 22 Illinois colleges reporting Computer Science graduate earnings, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 13th. 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 $132,110 in Illinois and $135,980 nationally. Others include computer and information systems managers and data scientists.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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: “Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Computer Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-carbondale/majors/computer-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).