Computer Science at Saint Johns University

Saint John's computer science graduates start below the middle of the pack for Minnesota programs—earning about $70,000 initially compared to the state median of $73,000. Within Minnesota's competitive CS landscape, this program sits in the 40th percentile, meaning roughly 60% of the state's computer science programs deliver better starting salaries. The gap is meaningful when you compare to top performers: Carleton grads start at $88,000, and even University of Minnesota-Duluth exceeds Saint John's by $3,000.

The debt load of $24,384 is reasonable—essentially matching state and national averages—but that 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio becomes less attractive when the earnings themselves lag behind. The positive is that growth looks solid, with salaries jumping to $93,000 by year four, suggesting graduates eventually catch up. However, these figures come from a very small sample (under 30 graduates), which means they could shift significantly with just a few data points.

For families considering Saint John's for computer science specifically, understand that you're paying for the liberal arts experience and campus environment more than for exceptional CS earnings potential. If maximizing return on a tech degree is the priority, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities or even St. Thomas offer notably stronger salary outcomes. Saint John's works if other factors—campus culture, smaller class sizes, the broader college experience—justify starting several thousand dollars behind the state average.