Computer and Information Sciences at Colorado Mesa University

Colorado Mesa's computer science program posts solid first-year earnings of $65,284—beating the national median by nearly $4,000—but lands in the 40th percentile among Colorado programs. That gap matters: the state median sits at $71,574, meaning graduates here earn about $6,300 less annually than peers at other Colorado schools. With several Front Range universities delivering $75,000+ outcomes, location becomes a real factor if students plan to stay in-state after graduation.

The debt picture is reasonable at $25,000 (matching both national and below-state medians), creating a manageable 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates should be able to handle payments without stress. However, earnings growth trails expectations—just 4% over four years suggests limited advancement or career mobility compared to programs where tech grads typically see steeper salary curves. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year.

For families choosing between Colorado State ($78,856) or CU Denver ($75,137) and Mesa, the $10,000-13,000 annual earnings difference compounds quickly. If cost of attendance is similar, this becomes a tough sell. But if Mesa offers significantly lower tuition or your student prefers the smaller Grand Junction setting, the debt load won't bury them—they'll just start their career a step behind peers at larger Colorado programs.