Location: Hammond, IN•In-State Tuition: $8,419•Out-of-State Tuition: $15,620•Admission Rate: 71%•Avg SAT: 1034
Median Earnings (1yr)
$61,699
51st percentile
60th percentile in Indiana
Median Debt
$18,700
25% below national median
D/E Ratio: 0.30 ManageableSample: 35 graduates

Analysis

Purdue University Northwest's computer science graduates earn right at Indiana's median—$61,699—but with notably less debt than typical in-state peers. At $18,700, debt here runs about $3,000 below the state average and well below the national benchmark of $25,000. That 0.30 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than a third of their first-year salary, which positions them to pay down loans quickly while building their careers.

The earnings picture is solid if not spectacular. Ranking at the 60th percentile among Indiana programs, PNW graduates earn roughly $10,000 less than Purdue's flagship campus but match or exceed several other state schools. Nationally, these graduates land squarely in the middle of the pack. For a regional university with a 71% admission rate serving a significant working-class population (28% Pell recipients), this represents genuine economic mobility without the credential inflation of more selective programs.

The real advantage here is risk-adjusted value. Your child walks out with a marketable tech degree, minimal debt burden, and earnings that support independent living from day one. While Notre Dame or Purdue-Main Campus offer higher ceilings, they may not be realistic options for every student. For families prioritizing affordability and concerned about debt load, this program delivers what matters most: a clear path into the technology workforce without financial strain.

Where Purdue University Northwest Stands

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

Purdue University NorthwestOther computer and information sciences programs

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

Earnings Distribution

How Purdue University Northwest graduates compare to all programs nationally

Purdue University Northwest earns $62k — 51th percentile among computer and information sciences bachelors programs.

Compare to Similar Programs in Indiana

Computer and Information Sciences bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Indiana (25 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Purdue University NorthwestHammond$8,419$61,699—$18,7000.30
University of Notre DameNotre Dame$62,693$96,517$118,767$19,0000.20
Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette$9,992$72,132$84,996$19,9850.28
Indiana University-BloomingtonBloomington$11,790$62,350$79,394$19,5000.31
Purdue University GlobalWest Lafayette$10,110$61,977$64,526$54,2930.88
Ball State UniversityMuncie$10,758$59,249$69,101$23,5120.40
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 Purdue University Northwest, approximately 28% 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 35 graduates with reported earnings and 36 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.