U.S. median for this major: $100,157.
College Scorecard field of study; 53 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 9% 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 $89,590. College Scorecard.
Vanderbilt University 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 Vanderbilt 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 | $3,414 | $13,895 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $1,876 | $7,635 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $4,498 | $18,307 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,153 | $49,463 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $45,145 | $183,740 | 1.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (87% 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 ($160,021) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $125,503 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 Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee 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 | Vanderbilt University | $160,021 | $14,500 | $15,846 | 94% |
| 2 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $106,312 | $16,750 | $18,976 | 74% |
| 3 | Middle Tennessee State University | $96,485 | $21,500 | $13,359 | 54% |
| 4 | Tennessee Technological University | $90,521 | $18,605 | $14,246 | 58% |
| 5 | University of Memphis | $90,207 | $24,672 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 6 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $82,644 | $25,125 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | $79,403 | — | $10,701 | 53% |
| 8 | Rhodes College | $78,973 | $25,982 | $28,585 | 85% |
| 9 | Tennessee State University | $67,292 | $27,724 | $15,796 | 34% |
15 more Tennessee 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 Vanderbilt University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Vanderbilt University
- Acceptance rate: 6% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 94% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $91,565
- Full cost breakdown · all 53 majors · overview
Related majors at Vanderbilt University
- Computer Engineering—
Vanderbilt University Computer Science questions
How much do Vanderbilt University Computer Science graduates earn?
Computer Science graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median $160,021 four years after graduating and $122,244 one year after. The U.S. median for Computer Science graduates across 339 colleges is $100,157.
How much debt do Vanderbilt University Computer Science graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Computer Science graduates of Vanderbilt University is $14,500, about 9% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,365.
Is Vanderbilt University a good school for Computer Science in Tennessee?
On pay, Computer Science graduates of Vanderbilt University earn $160,021 four years out, $69,814 above the median for the same major across 9 Tennessee colleges ($90,207) and $59,864 above the U.S. median ($100,157). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Vanderbilt University rank for Computer Science in Tennessee?
Of 9 Tennessee colleges reporting Computer Science graduate earnings, Vanderbilt University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Computer Science graduates get?
A common career is software developer, with a median wage of $126,610 in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 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: “Vanderbilt University Computer Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/vanderbilt-university/majors/computer-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).