Computer and Information Sciences at Chapman University

Chapman's computer science program carries an estimated $25,000 in debt—typical for California private schools—but the projected first-year earnings of around $54,000 land squarely at the state median, which itself trails the national benchmark by about $7,500. For a selective private university charging premium tuition, this suggests graduates may not be gaining the competitive edge you'd expect compared to more affordable state options.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 isn't alarming on paper—you'd pay off less than half your first year's salary in loans. But context matters: other California programs producing similar earnings often do so with $19,000 in debt rather than $25,000, and Chapman's estimates lag significantly behind top-tier UC programs where graduates routinely earn $80,000-plus right out of the gate. The admission selectivity and high SAT scores suggest Chapman attracts strong students who might qualify for those more lucrative programs.

The core question is whether Chapman's smaller classes and private school experience justify the premium when peer programs in California suggest earnings will be middle-of-the-pack. If your child has admission options at UC schools or even strong Cal State programs with robust tech industry connections, the math favors those routes. Chapman could make sense if specific faculty, location advantages for internships, or fit outweigh the financial gap—but don't expect the computer science degree alone to deliver outsized returns that offset the higher cost.