# Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Software and Media Applications (bachelor's)

Worcester, MA. IPEDS 168421, CIP 11.08. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/worcester-polytechnic-institute/majors/software-and-media-applications

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $86,193
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $95,430 (U.S. median for this major: $61,451 across 37 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $24,656 (U.S. median $23,394)
- Rank in MA: 2 of 3 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MA median for this major (3 colleges, $95,430): +$0
- Versus the U.S. median: +$33,979

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.07 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $95,430 minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $24,018 | $97,753 | 1.8 years |
| 30-48k | $24,452 | $99,520 | 1.8 years |
| 48-75k | $32,350 | $131,665 | 2.4 years |
| 75-110k | $37,753 | $153,655 | 2.8 years |
| 110k+ | $49,716 | $202,344 | 3.6 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Software and Media Applications at MA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellesley College | $98,816 | not reported | $25,496 | 92% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | $95,430 | $24,656 | $43,071 | 90% |
| Berklee College of Music | $40,186 | $27,000 | $49,465 | 67% |

## Careers
- Software Developers (SOC 15-1252): median wage $146,950 Worcester, MA, $165,210 MA, $135,980 U.S.; U.S. jobs 10.2% by 2035
- Computer and Information Systems Managers (SOC 11-3021): median wage $193,890 Worcester, MA, $214,960 MA, $175,140 U.S.; U.S. jobs 15.8% by 2035
- Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051): median wage $123,640 Worcester, MA, $131,750 MA, $120,230 U.S.; U.S. jobs 34.6% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).