Computer and Information Sciences at Governors State University

Governors State University's computer science program lands in an awkward middle ground for Illinois tech education. While it ranks around the 40th percentile among Illinois programs, graduates earn roughly $8,000 less than the state median for computer science majors—and about $13,000 below the national benchmark. For context, even regional competitors like Western Illinois and Illinois State deliver $3,000-6,000 more in starting earnings, despite computer science being one of the most portable tech credentials.

The bright spot here is genuinely low debt. At $19,400, graduates owe about $5,000 less than typical Illinois CS majors and maintain a manageable 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio. This matters especially given that over half the student body receives Pell grants—these students graduate with less financial burden than peers at flashier programs. The 22% earnings growth to $59,000 by year four suggests graduates do catch up somewhat, though they remain well behind the state curve.

For families weighing this against other Illinois options, the trade-off is clear: you're accepting significantly lower starting earnings in exchange for substantially lower debt. If your child already has a tech job lined up or plans to relocate to a lower-cost market where that $48,000 goes further, the debt advantage could matter more than the earnings gap. But if they're counting on their degree alone to open doors in Chicago's competitive tech market, stronger programs at comparable public universities would likely prove the better investment.