Location: Harrisonburg, VA•In-State Tuition: $13,576•Out-of-State Tuition: $30,790•Admission Rate: 76%•Avg SAT: 1247
Median Earnings (1yr)
$81,761
95th percentile
60th percentile in Virginia
Median Debt
$21,470
14% below national median
D/E Ratio: 0.26 ManageableSample: 87 graduates

Analysis

JMU's computer science graduates earn $81,761 right out of the gate—about $20,000 more than the national typical grad and $13,000 above Virginia's median for this program. With just $21,470 in debt (lower than both state and national averages), students here are paying off loans with roughly three months of earnings. This is a debt-to-earnings ratio that makes the program immediately affordable, even if graduates aren't commanding the elite salaries of UVA or Virginia Tech peers.

The real story is sustainable career trajectory. Earnings climb to $96,181 by year four, placing JMU grads within striking distance of the state's flagship programs while having started with significantly less debt. Yes, this ranks 60th percentile among Virginia CS programs—but that's misleading context when you're still outearning 95% of CS programs nationally. The state comparison reflects Virginia's exceptionally strong tech sector, not a weakness in JMU's outcomes.

For a school with a 76% admission rate, these numbers punch well above weight class. Your child gets strong earning power without the crushing debt or admissions lottery of elite competitors. If they can get into UVA or Tech, those might edge ahead slightly. But for most families, JMU delivers flagship-caliber outcomes at a fraction of the financial risk.

Where James Madison University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all computer and information sciences bachelors's programs nationally

James Madison UniversityOther computer and information sciences programs

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

Earnings Distribution

How James Madison University graduates compare to all programs nationally

James Madison University earns $82k — 95th percentile among computer and information sciences bachelors programs.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
James Madison University$81,761$96,181+18%
University of Virginia-Main Campus$98,067$136,620+39%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$96,432$116,372+21%
University of Richmond$76,763$103,441+35%
Virginia Commonwealth University$84,338$96,632+15%

Compare to Similar Programs in Virginia

Computer and Information Sciences bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Virginia (26 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg$13,576$81,761$96,181$21,4700.26
University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville$20,986$98,067$136,620$17,7830.18
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg$15,478$96,432$116,372$20,5000.21
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond$16,458$84,338$96,632$19,0500.23
George Mason UniversityFairfax$13,815$78,800$94,945$23,2500.30
University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond$62,600$76,763$103,441$23,3810.30
National Median—$61,322—$25,0000.41

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with computer and information sciences 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

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. Document software and application defects using a bug tracking system and report defects to software or web developers. Create and maintain databases of known defects. May participate in software design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, operational characteristics, product designs, and schedules.

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

Computer Network Architects

Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning, including analysis of capacity needs for network infrastructures. May also design network and computer security measures. May research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.

$130,390/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Telecommunications Engineering Specialists

Design or configure wired, wireless, and satellite communications systems for voice, video, and data services. Supervise installation, service, and maintenance.

$130,390/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Information Security Analysts

Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.

$124,910/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
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 James Madison University, approximately 17% 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.

Sample Size: Based on 87 graduates with reported earnings and 81 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.