Computer Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT computer science graduates earn $154,492 in their first year—more than double both the national median ($70,950) and Massachusetts median ($86,060) for this degree. The only comparable program in the state is Harvard's, which produces nearly identical first-year earnings. By year four, MIT grads reach nearly $200,000, representing 29% growth and confirming that these exceptional starting salaries aren't a temporary premium. Among the 33 Massachusetts programs tracked, MIT ranks at the very top for earnings while charging remarkably little: the median $12,000 in debt is roughly half the state median and represents just 8% of first-year earnings.

The tradeoff is obvious—admission is brutally competitive at 5%, with average SAT scores around 1553. But for students who gain admission, the financial proposition is extraordinary. That $12,000 debt figure suggests either substantial institutional aid, students from families who can pay, or both. Even the 19% Pell Grant representation, while lower than public universities, indicates some economic diversity among students who gain entry.

For families evaluating whether MIT's computer science program justifies the effort of applying, the data is unambiguous: if your child can get in, the combination of minimal debt and elite-level earnings makes it perhaps the strongest financial investment in computer science education available in Massachusetts, rivaled only by Harvard.