Computer Science at Indiana University-Northwest

Starting at $36,000 with a computer science degree is genuinely alarming—this ranks in the bottom 10% of Indiana CS programs and the bottom 5% nationally. While earnings do climb to $52,500 by year four, that's still $16,000 below Indiana's state median for CS graduates and nearly $20,000 below the national benchmark. Even Indiana University-Southeast, another regional campus, sees graduates earning $72,000. The gap between IU-Northwest and flagship programs like Purdue ($95,000) or IU-Bloomington ($78,000) isn't just a number—it represents tens of thousands of dollars in lost earning potential annually.

The $22,000 debt load is reasonable, and serving a predominantly first-generation student population (43% Pell-eligible) is admirable. But the economic reality matters: computer science graduates from this program earn less than many liberal arts majors do nationally. The small sample size means these numbers could shift, but they shouldn't be this far off-center if the program were consistently producing competitive outcomes.

If your child is Gary-local and cost-conscious, this might serve as an affordable starting point—but they should plan to either transfer after two years or supplement heavily with internships and self-taught skills. Otherwise, the price of convenience may be paid in career earnings for decades.