Location: Sioux Center, IA•In-State Tuition: $35,960•Admission Rate: 71%•Avg SAT: 1175
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$38,234
Est. from national median (55 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$25,603
Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 looks manageable on paper, but the underlying figures tell a more complicated story. Comparable software programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $38,000—substantially lower than what many parents expect from a tech degree. With estimated debt near $26,000, graduates would be dedicating roughly two-thirds of their first year's salary to paying off loans, assuming standard repayment terms. That's feasible, but it leaves little room for the kind of financial launch most families hope a computer science degree will provide.

The real concern here is whether this program's curriculum aligns with market demands. "Computer Software and Media Applications" as a degree title spans everything from web design to software engineering, and those career paths have vastly different earning trajectories. The top quarter of similar bachelor's programs nationally produce graduates earning above $52,000 in year one—a meaningful premium that suggests some schools are better positioned to deliver high-value outcomes. Without seeing actual placement data from Dordt specifically, it's difficult to know where this program falls on that spectrum.

Given the uncertainty around both the earnings estimate and the program's competitive positioning, families should request concrete information from Dordt: recent graduate job titles, employer names, and typical starting salaries. If the school can't provide specifics beyond course descriptions, that's a red flag about whether they're tracking outcomes closely enough to keep the curriculum relevant.

Where Dordt University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all computer software and media applications bachelors's programs nationally

Dordt University (estimated ±10%)Other computer software and media applications programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Computer Software and Media Applications bachelors's programs at top institutions nationally

Scroll to see more →

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Dordt UniversitySioux Center$35,960$38,234*—$25,603*—
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles$68,237$103,071*$134,326$23,500*0.23
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor$17,228$98,117*—$19,769*0.20
Western Governors UniversitySalt Lake City$8,300$95,292*—$23,287*0.24
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester$59,070$86,193*—$24,656*0.29
University of Phoenix-CaliforniaOntario—$83,476*$57,111$44,225*0.53
National Median—$38,234*—$27,000*0.71
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with computer software and media applications graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Software Developers

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Administrators

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Architects

Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Warehousing Specialists

Design, model, or implement corporate data warehousing activities. Program and configure warehouses of database information and provide support to warehouse users.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

$99,800/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.

$98,670/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Web Developers

Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.

$95,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Dordt University, approximately 18% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 55 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.