Computer and Information Sciences at Marietta College

A bachelor's degree in computer science with estimated debt around $26,000 sits squarely at the national median for this major, which is at least manageable. The challenge is what similar Ohio programs suggest about earnings: at roughly $50,000 in first-year salary, comparable state programs lag nearly $11,000 behind the national median. This puts Marietta's estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 in reasonable territory—you'd expect about half a year's salary in debt for a tech degree—but it also means missing out on the premium that stronger programs command.

The gap between Ohio's median tech salary and what graduates from Ohio State ($82,000), Cincinnati ($70,000), or Wright State ($69,000) actually earn is substantial. While those are selective flagships with reported outcomes, the difference suggests that not all computer science degrees in Ohio produce the same career launch. The state's tech job market is concentrated in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, and proximity to those hubs—plus the recruiting relationships schools build there—matters significantly for landing the higher-paying positions that make tech degrees such reliable investments elsewhere.

For parents, the question is whether Marietta's smaller program and liberal arts environment offer advantages that offset what peer Ohio programs suggest about earnings potential. The debt load is manageable enough that this isn't a crisis scenario, but the earnings estimate indicates you may be financing a degree that doesn't access the full value of Ohio's tech economy.