Computer Software and Media Applications at Purdue University Northwest

Something is seriously wrong with Purdue University Northwest's Computer Software and Media Applications program. Graduates earn just $21,532 in their first year—barely above poverty level and less than half what the state median predicts ($29,883). Even among Indiana's eight programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile, while the flagship Purdue campus in West Lafayette produces graduates earning $38,234. Nationally, this program sits in the bottom 5% for earnings while carrying debt in the 95th percentile—a devastating combination that suggests students would be better off at nearly any alternative.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) offers some hope that these numbers might not be representative, but the pattern is too extreme to dismiss. At an 0.82 debt-to-earnings ratio, graduates face nearly a full year's salary in loans for a credential that isn't opening doors in the tech industry. Compare this to Ball State or IUPUI, where similar programs likely deliver earnings closer to the state median at comparable or lower debt levels.

Before committing here, demand updated data from the school and consider every in-state alternative. If your child is set on this campus for location or other reasons, they'd be better served choosing a different major—the school's engineering or business programs may deliver far stronger outcomes than this struggling tech credential.