Location: Highland Heights, KY•In-State Tuition: $10,896•Out-of-State Tuition: $21,480•Admission Rate: 96%•Avg SAT: 1114
Median Earnings (1yr)
$62,411
53rd percentile
60th percentile in Kentucky
Median Debt
$25,000
At national median
D/E Ratio: 0.40 ManageableSample: 152 graduates

Analysis

Northern Kentucky University's computer science graduates earn $62,411 in their first year—solidly middle-of-the-pack nationally but significantly stronger than the Kentucky median of $50,498. This 60th percentile ranking within Kentucky matters more than you might think: with a 96% admission rate and modest SAT scores, NKU delivers tech employment outcomes that punch above its selectivity tier. The program trails flagship UK by $9,000 initially, but at $25,000 in median debt (half of what many private universities charge), students aren't paying a premium for the NKU name.

The earnings trajectory looks healthy, climbing 21% to $75,313 by year four. That 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates can reasonably pay off loans in under two years if they prioritize it. For Kentucky families especially, this represents a practical path into tech careers without the competitive admissions pressure of UK or the higher price tags elsewhere.

The value proposition here is straightforward: NKU won't land your child at a FAANG company straight out of college, but it'll prepare them for solid developer or IT roles in Cincinnati's tech sector, with manageable debt that won't derail their twenties. For students who need an accessible entry point into computing, this program delivers.

Where Northern Kentucky University Stands

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

Northern Kentucky UniversityOther computer and information sciences programs

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

Earnings Distribution

How Northern Kentucky University graduates compare to all programs nationally

Northern Kentucky University earns $62k — 53th 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
Northern Kentucky University$62,411$75,313+21%
University of Kentucky$71,293$81,070+14%
Sullivan University$52,134$72,304+39%
Eastern Kentucky University$39,867$71,866+80%
Berea College$35,185$65,907+87%

Compare to Similar Programs in Kentucky

Computer and Information Sciences bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Kentucky (20 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights$10,896$62,411$75,313$25,0000.40
University of KentuckyLexington$13,212$71,293$81,070$22,2500.31
University of LouisvilleLouisville$12,828$68,351—$21,5000.31
Sullivan UniversityLouisville$14,220$52,134$72,304$36,4460.70
Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green$11,436$48,863$54,925$27,0000.55
University of the CumberlandsWilliamsburg$9,875$40,725—$23,9510.59
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 Northern Kentucky University, approximately 24% 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 152 graduates with reported earnings and 145 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.