Computer Science at Lewis & Clark College

Lewis & Clark's computer science program produces graduates earning significantly less than what you'd expect in Oregon's tech-rich job market. At $66,653, first-year earnings fall $16,000 below the state median and trail every other Oregon CS program we can measure—including public universities that cost considerably less. This is the 25th percentile performance in a state where Portland alone hosts hundreds of tech companies competing for talent.

The $24,000 median debt keeps this manageable—you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36, which is reasonable. But the value equation doesn't add up when Oregon State graduates start at $85,376 with similar debt levels. Even accounting for Lewis & Clark's smaller class sizes and liberal arts emphasis, the nearly $20,000 earnings gap represents real money that compounds over a career.

The caveat here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in this data, these numbers might not reflect the typical experience. Perhaps many graduates pursue graduate school immediately or choose lower-paying but mission-driven work. Still, for a family paying private school tuition, you'd want confidence that CS grads are accessing Portland's robust tech economy. If your child is certain about computer science as a career path, Oregon's public universities deliver stronger earnings outcomes at a fraction of the cost.