Location: Evanston, IL•In-State Tuition: $65,997•Admission Rate: 7%•Avg SAT: 1526
Est. Earnings (1yr)Estimated
$57,032
Est. from IL median (12 programs)
Est. Median DebtEstimated
$24,536
Est. from IL median (4 programs)

Based on U.S. Department of Education data (October 2025 release). Some figures are estimates based on similar programs — see details below.

Analysis

Northwestern's computer science program presents a puzzling picture: a highly selective school (7% admission rate, SAT scores averaging 1526) where CS graduates from peer Illinois programs typically earn around $57,000 in their first year—roughly $4,300 below the national median and dramatically below what graduates from the state's flagship university earn. UIUC computer science graduates report first-year earnings of $113,500, nearly double what similar programs across Illinois produce.

The estimated $24,500 in debt is manageable relative to these earnings, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43 that's well within comfortable territory for tech careers. But that comparison misses the bigger question: why would graduates from one of the nation's most prestigious universities, with some of the country's highest-achieving students, see earnings closer to Illinois State than to their institutional peers? This could reflect several factors—perhaps Northwestern's program emphasizes research or theoretical foundations over industry preparation, or maybe many graduates pursue graduate school rather than immediate employment, suppressing the first-year number.

For families paying Northwestern's premium tuition, these estimated figures should prompt specific questions about the program's career outcomes. Ask about actual placement rates in top tech companies, typical starting salaries for industry-bound graduates, and what percentage continue to graduate school. The debt is reasonable, but the opportunity cost of choosing Northwestern over UIUC—where outcomes appear significantly stronger—deserves careful consideration.

Where Northwestern University Stands

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

Northwestern University (estimated ±10%)Other computer and information sciences programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Computer and Information Sciences bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (30 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Northwestern UniversityEvanston$65,997$57,032*—$24,536*—
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign$16,004$113,503*—$19,399*0.17
Loyola University ChicagoChicago$51,716$68,950*—$22,701*0.33
Illinois State UniversityNormal$16,021$65,127*$75,982$22,250*0.34
Western Illinois UniversityMacomb$14,952$62,578*$62,291$25,250*0.40
Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago$51,763$61,313*$77,873$24,750*0.40
National Median—$61,322*—$25,000*0.41
* Estimated from similar programs

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 Northwestern University, approximately 19% 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.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 12 similar programs in IL. Actual outcomes may vary.