Computer and Information Sciences at Baldwin Wallace University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 suggests manageable borrowing, but the earnings picture raises questions about competitive positioning. Based on peer computer science programs in Ohio, graduates here likely earn around $50,000 in their first year—substantially below the $61,000 national median and trailing significantly behind state flagships like Ohio State ($82,000) and Cincinnati ($70,000). While the estimated $26,000 in debt aligns with typical borrowing for this credential, the earnings gap means repayment will take longer than at stronger programs.

The challenge isn't the debt load—it's the opportunity cost. Computer science graduates from Ohio's top programs earn 40-65% more right out of the gate, creating a compounding advantage over time. For a field where employer recruiting often favors certain campuses and where starting salaries vary so dramatically, Baldwin Wallace appears to place graduates in a lower tier of the market. This matters particularly in tech, where those first positions often determine career trajectory.

If your student is set on Baldwin Wallace for non-academic reasons—location, fit, specific faculty—the numbers aren't disqualifying. But if the primary goal is maximizing return on a computer science degree, the data from comparable Ohio programs suggests looking at schools with stronger tech employer pipelines. The difference between $50,000 and $70,000 in starting salary compounds to hundreds of thousands over a career.