Computer Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

RPI computer science graduates walk into six-figure jobs straight out of college—$105,000 in year one, climbing to $129,000 by year four. At the 95th percentile nationally, this program rivals the elite CS programs you'd expect, though it sits in a competitive middle tier among New York schools, trailing Cornell and Columbia but outpacing Rochester Institute of Technology and most SUNY options. The debt load of $23,250 translates to just 0.22 times first-year earnings, meaning a graduate could theoretically pay off their loans in under three months of income.

The value proposition here is straightforward: pay roughly average debt for a CS degree ($23K versus $23K nationally) and receive earnings that exceed 95% of other programs. This is particularly notable given RPI's 58% acceptance rate—it's not a reach school for strong students, yet it delivers outcomes comparable to far more selective institutions. The 23% earnings growth trajectory also suggests graduates are advancing into higher-level roles rather than plateauing.

For families weighing options, RPI offers elite-level outcomes without Ivy-level selectivity or crushing debt. If your child can gain admission and the net price is manageable, this represents one of the strongest ROI propositions in computer science. The robust sample size confirms these aren't flukes—this is what RPI consistently delivers.