Computer and Information Sciences at Rider University

Rider's computer science program shows concerning numbers, though the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates—means individual outcomes could vary significantly from these figures. Starting at $41,421, graduates earn just 65% of what typical New Jersey CS graduates make in their first year, landing in the bottom 10th percentile statewide. That's roughly $40,000 less annually than what graduates from Rutgers or TCNJ earn right out of the gate.

The gap narrows somewhat by year four as earnings climb to $61,353, representing solid 48% growth. However, this still trails the state median and sits at the 5th percentile nationally for computer science programs—a field where strong earnings are typically the primary draw. The debt load of $25,720 is reasonable and similar to state averages, making the debt-to-earnings ratio manageable even with the lower starting salary.

Given New Jersey's robust tech sector and the availability of stronger CS programs at similar or lower costs (particularly the Rutgers campuses), this program's positioning is weak. If your child is considering Rider specifically for non-academic reasons—location, campus culture, smaller class sizes—understand they'll likely start their career significantly behind peers from other state schools. With the data's limited sample size, current students might be doing better or worse than these figures suggest, but that uncertainty itself is a risk factor.