Location: Midland, MI•In-State Tuition: $33,000•Admission Rate: 84%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$67,287
Est. from MI median (14 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$25,860
Est. from national median (94 programs)

Analysis

Northwood's computer science program faces an uphill climb in Michigan's competitive tech landscape. While comparable programs across the state suggest first-year earnings around $67,000—right at the state median—that figure trails significantly behind what graduates earn from Michigan's major universities. The University of Michigan grads start north of $113,000, and even regional options like Grand Valley State produce stronger early returns at $74,000. By year four, earnings tick up to $72,000, but that modest growth suggests this program may not provide the competitive edge needed to access Michigan's highest-paying tech roles.

The estimated debt load of roughly $26,000 keeps the financial picture from becoming problematic—the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 is quite manageable for a technical field. But manageable debt doesn't compensate for an earnings gap that appears structural rather than temporary. Tech hiring is notoriously credential-sensitive and network-dependent, and Northwood's relatively open admissions and smaller program size may limit access to the internships and recruiting pipelines that feed Michigan's stronger-paying employers.

For families considering this program, the question isn't whether graduates can service their debt—they likely can. It's whether choosing Northwood over a state university costs $10,000-$40,000 annually in forgone earnings right out of the gate. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to attend here, Michigan's larger public universities offer demonstrably better outcomes in this field.

Where Northwood University Stands

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

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

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

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Northwood University—$72,155—
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$113,634$135,625+19%
Wayne State University$77,371$98,072+27%
Michigan State University$86,192$94,016+9%
University of Michigan-Dearborn$77,273$91,152+18%

Compare to Similar Programs in Michigan

Computer and Information Sciences bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Michigan (21 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Northwood UniversityMidland$33,000$67,287*$72,155$25,860*—
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor$17,228$113,634*$135,625$20,000*0.18
Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing$15,988$86,192*$94,016$24,022*0.28
Wayne State UniversityDetroit$14,297$77,371*$98,072$20,672*0.27
University of Michigan-DearbornDearborn$14,944$77,273*$91,152$25,000*0.32
Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale$14,628$74,360*$83,360$27,000*0.36
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 Northwood University, approximately 25% 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 14 similar programs in MI. Actual outcomes may vary.