Computer Science at Ohio Northern University

Computer science grads from Ohio Northern University earn $69,046 in their first year—trailing both the state median of $73,932 and national median of $70,950. While the program sits at a selective school (73% admission rate, 1290 SAT average), its earnings land squarely in the middle of the pack nationally and below average among Ohio's 38 computer science programs. That's particularly noteworthy given that employers typically pay CS grads fairly consistently across institutions, with even mid-tier programs often cracking $75,000.

The estimated debt of $27,000 (based on comparable programs at Ohio Northern) pushes the debt-to-earnings ratio to 0.39—manageable for a technical field, but not the financial slam dunk parents might expect from computer science. Programs like Cedarville and Franklin University are producing grads earning $7,000-8,000 more annually with similar or lower debt burdens. Case Western takes it further at nearly $96,000, though that comes with its own cost premium.

For a family paying private school tuition in Ohio, this program needs scrutiny. The earnings gap compared to state peers isn't trivial—it compounds to tens of thousands over a career's early years. Unless Ohio Northern offers compelling non-financial advantages like research opportunities or campus culture, families should weigh whether similar money might buy better outcomes at Ohio's stronger-performing CS programs.