Computer Science at Rasmussen University-North Dakota

Rasmussen's Computer Science program starts graduates nearly $17,000 below the national median for CS degrees, though it sits near the middle of North Dakota's limited options. While first-year earnings of $53,832 trail the state median by about $3,300, they're not dramatically different from North Dakota State's $60,426—suggesting regional salary constraints play a role here.

The real concern is the debt load. At $38,409, graduates carry 64% more debt than the national median for CS programs, placing this in the bottom 5th percentile nationally for debt. That 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio means your child would owe roughly 9 months of their first year's salary—manageable by some standards, but notably higher than what most CS graduates face. The strong 37% earnings growth to $73,463 by year four helps offset this burden, bringing graduates closer to national norms over time.

For a family considering this program, the math works if staying in North Dakota is the plan and lower-cost alternatives aren't accessible. The program does prepare students for real jobs with decent growth potential. However, if your child could attend NDSU or access a more affordable CS program elsewhere, they'd likely start with similar earnings while carrying $10,000+ less debt. Given that nearly half of students here receive Pell grants, this appears to serve students with fewer options—just understand the financial trade-off up front.