Computer and Information Sciences at California State University-Long Beach

At $41,552 first-year out, Cal State Long Beach's Computer Science graduates earn roughly $12,000 below California's median for CS programs and a startling $20,000 below the national median. Even within California's competitive landscape, this program lands at just the 25th percentile—meaning three-quarters of CS programs in the state produce better-earning graduates. The gap between this program and UC Berkeley ($88,030) or UCLA ($136,099) is enormous, but even more affordable private options like Westmont deliver double the starting salary.

The debt picture provides some relief: graduates leave with just $11,900, well below both state and national medians. That 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio means students could theoretically pay off loans in about four months of gross salary. For families prioritizing affordability—nearly half of students here receive Pell grants—this low debt load matters.

Here's the tension: California's tech sector offers exceptional opportunities for CS graduates, but starting at $41,552 means these students enter at a significant disadvantage compared to peers from stronger programs. That $20,000 earnings gap compounds over time, potentially costing hundreds of thousands across a career. If your child can access better-performing California programs, even with moderately higher debt, the math likely works out better long-term.