Computer and Information Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology

RIT's Computer Science program produces graduates who earn significantly more than the typical CS grad—both nationally and within New York. Starting at $71,358 and climbing to $86,702 by year four, these earnings land in the 75th percentile nationally and place RIT graduates ahead of 60% of New York programs. That's notable given the state's competitive tech landscape, though they're still trailing elite schools like Cornell and Stony Brook by $15,000-20,000 at the four-year mark.

The financial picture is remarkably clean. At $27,000 in debt—just slightly above the state median—graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38, meaning they could theoretically pay off loans in under five months of gross salary. This is among the lowest debt burdens you'll find for CS programs nationally (25th percentile). The 22% earnings growth from year one to year four suggests graduates are advancing into better positions rather than plateauing early.

For a school with a 71% acceptance rate, RIT delivers outcomes that punch well above its selectivity would suggest. If your child can get into more selective programs like Cornell or Stony Brook, the earnings gap might justify the extra effort. But RIT offers strong returns with manageable debt and a realistic acceptance rate—a combination that makes it a solid investment for students who want excellent tech outcomes without betting everything on admission to an Ivy.