Computer and Information Sciences at Cornell University

Cornell's computer science program ranks among the absolute elite nationally, placing in the 95th percentile for earnings while graduating students with just $15,500 in debt—less than a third of the typical debt burden for this degree. Those starting salaries of $103,650 translate to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.15, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in under two months of work. Among New York's 68 computer science programs, Cornell ties with Barnard at the top, outearning the state median by nearly $41,000 in year one.

The 14% earnings growth to $118,342 by year four is solid if not spectacular, but it hardly matters when you're already starting this high. With a robust sample size of 100+ graduates, these numbers are reliable. The 8% admission rate means getting in is the real challenge, but for families who can navigate Cornell's financial aid (18% of students receive Pell grants, suggesting some accessibility despite the selectivity), this represents one of the strongest returns in computer science education.

For an anxious parent, this is straightforward: if your child gets accepted and the financial aid package makes attendance feasible, Cornell's CS program delivers immediate, high-value career outcomes with minimal debt. The question isn't whether the program works—it clearly does—but whether admission and net cost align with your family's situation.