Computer and Information Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer's computer science graduates start at $85,000—roughly $22,000 above New York's median and nearly $24,000 above the national average for the program. While the sample size is small enough to warrant some caution, these numbers place RPI in the top tier of New York tech programs, trailing only Cornell, Barnard, and Stony Brook. The $27,000 debt load is actually below both state and national medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 that most graduates should manage comfortably.

What makes this particularly compelling is the combination: elite-level earnings without elite-level debt. RPI charges private school tuition but delivers outcomes that compete with Ivy League programs while keeping debt reasonable. The 58% admission rate also makes it more accessible than Cornell or Barnard for students with strong but not perfect academic records. The only real question mark is whether these outcomes hold steady as sample sizes grow—small cohorts can swing dramatically year to year.

For families weighing the investment, this looks like solid value if your student can get in and handle the rigor. You're paying for a strong technical education that appears to open doors to well-paying tech roles immediately after graduation.