Computer and Information Sciences at ECPI University

ECPI's computer science graduates start at a respectable $61,328—nearly identical to the national median—but then their earnings drop 9% by year four, falling to $55,800. That's unusual in tech, where salaries typically climb as developers gain experience. Among Virginia's 26 computer science programs, ECPI lands at the 40th percentile, trailing the state median by $12,500. For context, that's roughly $25,000 behind what George Mason graduates earn and $42,000 below Virginia Tech alumni.

The debt picture amplifies the concern. At $39,000, ECPI graduates carry 56% more debt than the state median and nearly double the national average. That puts the debt-to-earnings ratio at 0.64—manageable by strict metrics, but less comfortable when your salary is declining rather than growing. The high debt likely reflects ECPI's for-profit status and accelerated format, which can make sense for students who need flexibility but comes at a premium.

For a family considering this program: if your child needs evening classes or an accelerated schedule and Virginia's public universities aren't viable, ECPI can lead to employment. But if they can access UVA, Virginia Tech, or even VCU, those programs deliver substantially higher earnings with less debt. The backwards salary trajectory suggests ECPI graduates may face limitations in career progression that better-resourced programs avoid.