Location: Rochester, NY•In-State Tuition: $57,016•Admission Rate: 71%•Avg SAT: 1378
Median Earnings (1yr)
$69,052
86th percentile
95th percentile in New York
Median Debt
$27,000
At national median
D/E Ratio: 0.39 ManageableSample: 159 graduates

Analysis

RIT's Computer Software and Media Applications program substantially outperforms its peers, with graduates earning $69,052 in their first year—nearly double the national median of $38,234. More impressively, among New York's 17 programs in this field, RIT ranks in the 95th percentile, far exceeding even NYU's stronger-than-average outcomes. That gap widens over time, with RIT graduates reaching $84,214 by year four, a 22% increase that suggests genuine career momentum rather than just a strong starting salary.

The $27,000 median debt sits at national and state averages, which creates a favorable 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio—graduates owe less than five months of their first-year salary. This is remarkable for a technical program that often commands higher tuition. RIT's relatively high admission rate (71%) means this isn't just a hyper-selective program cherry-picking the best students; the school is delivering strong results at scale.

For parents weighing whether a specialized software program justifies the investment over a traditional computer science degree, these numbers make a compelling case. Your child would be entering the job market with immediately marketable skills and earnings that dwarf typical outcomes for this credential, while keeping debt manageable. The combination of strong placement, steady growth, and reasonable cost makes this one of the clearest value propositions among media technology programs in the Northeast.

Where Rochester Institute of Technology Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all computer software and media applications bachelors's programs nationally

Rochester Institute of TechnologyOther computer software and media applications programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How Rochester Institute of Technology graduates compare to all programs nationally

Rochester Institute of Technology earns $69k — 86th percentile among computer software and media applications bachelors programs.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Rochester Institute of Technology$69,052$84,214+22%
University of Southern California$103,071$134,326+30%
Academy of Art University$45,387$72,792+60%
Baker College$41,784$71,920+72%
School of Visual Arts$36,272$57,314+58%

Compare to Similar Programs in New York

Computer Software and Media Applications bachelors's programs at peer institutions in New York (17 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Rochester Institute of TechnologyRochester$57,016$69,052$84,214$27,0000.39
New York UniversityNew York$60,438$42,891—$22,7500.53
School of Visual ArtsNew York$49,140$36,272$57,314$27,0000.74
The New SchoolNew York$56,386$29,550—$25,4890.86
National Median—$38,234—$27,0000.71

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with computer software and media applications graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Software Developers

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Administrators

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Architects

Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Warehousing Specialists

Design, model, or implement corporate data warehousing activities. Program and configure warehouses of database information and provide support to warehouse users.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

$99,800/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.

$98,670/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Web Developers

Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.

$95,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Rochester Institute of Technology, approximately 26% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 159 graduates with reported earnings and 174 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.