Computer and Information Sciences at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus

This computer science program starts graduates at just $41,788—nearly $20,000 below what the typical New Jersey CS graduate earns and in the bottom 10th percentile statewide. While earnings jump 40% by year four to $58,629, that still lags behind what many graduates earn right out of the gate at stronger NJ programs. Consider: Rutgers and TCNJ graduates start at $80,000-plus, nearly double FDU-Florham's first-year figure.

The $25,000 in debt is manageable and matches national norms, but it's attached to significantly weaker earnings. When neighboring schools deliver such dramatically higher starting salaries with similar debt loads, the opportunity cost becomes substantial. Even after four years of career growth, FDU-Florham graduates earn less than what peers from top state programs make immediately. In New Jersey's competitive tech job market—home to pharmaceutical companies, financial services firms, and proximity to NYC—these earnings gaps suggest the program may not provide the same access to high-paying entry-level positions.

For families weighing in-state CS options, this represents one of the weaker investments among New Jersey's 23 programs. The 95% admission rate and moderate outcomes suggest limited selectivity correlates with limited employer outcomes in a field where institutional reputation often determines starting salary brackets.