Computer Science at Marietta College

A $27,000 debt load for a computer science degree sits slightly above the national benchmark, but the field's strong earning potential generally makes this manageable—comparable programs in Ohio suggest first-year earnings around $74,000, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37. That means graduates would owe roughly 5 months of their first-year salary, a reasonable starting point for a technical field where salaries tend to climb quickly. The challenge here is that both figures are estimates drawn from peer programs across Ohio, not actual outcomes from Marietta's computer science graduates specifically.

What these estimates reveal is that Ohio CS programs cluster fairly tightly in earnings, with the state median matching the estimated figure for Marietta. Even the top-performing programs in the state—including Case Western Reserve—show first-year earnings in the $74,000-$95,000 range. The consistency suggests that Ohio tech employers value CS skills broadly rather than focusing heavily on institutional prestige, which could work in favor of graduates from smaller programs like Marietta's. The debt figure, however, exceeds both the state and national medians by several thousand dollars, meaning students here may be borrowing more than their counterparts elsewhere.

The practical takeaway: this looks like a workable investment if the estimated earnings hold, but you're making that judgment without visibility into Marietta's actual placement record. Before committing, ask the department directly about where recent graduates landed jobs and what they're earning—specifics matter when the data is this limited.