Location: West Lafayette, IN•In-State Tuition: $9,992•Out-of-State Tuition: $28,794•Admission Rate: 50%•Avg SAT: 1342
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$35,761
Est. from national median (80 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$12,500
Est. from national median (61 programs)

Analysis

An associate's degree from Purdue in computer science carries an estimated $12,500 in debt—relatively modest for this field—but the earnings picture based on comparable programs is surprisingly weak. First-year salaries around $36,000 lag well behind what similar programs in Indiana typically produce. Ivy Tech, the state's community college system, reports graduates earning $41,560, suggesting Indiana employers value these credentials more highly than the national baseline this estimate draws from. For a selective institution like Purdue (50% admission rate, 1342 average SAT), you'd expect associate's holders to outperform, not underperform, the state average.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 looks manageable on paper, but the real concern is opportunity cost. If your child is academically qualified for Purdue, they're likely qualified for bachelor's programs that command significantly higher starting salaries in tech. Associate's degrees in computing often appeal to students seeking quick workforce entry or those pursuing certifications alongside formal education, but peer programs suggest this path may not leverage Purdue's reputation effectively. The modest debt is a positive, but estimated earnings that trail state benchmarks by $6,000 annually indicate this particular credential may not extract full value from attending a flagship research university.

Before committing, compare this directly with Purdue's four-year computing outcomes if your child can handle the longer timeline. If an associate's degree fits better for personal reasons, investigate why Ivy Tech's graduates appear to fare better in the Indiana job market.

Where Purdue University-Main Campus Stands

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

Purdue University-Main Campus (estimated ±10%)Other computer and information sciences programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Indiana

Computer and Information Sciences associates's programs at peer institutions in Indiana (9 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette$9,992$35,761*—$12,500*—
Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis$4,912$41,560*$42,684$12,567*0.30
National Median—$35,760*—$14,932*0.42
* 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 Purdue University-Main Campus, approximately 13% 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 national median of 80 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.