Computer Science at Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University's Computer Science program sits in a crowded Missouri market where it performs respectably but doesn't stand out. With first-year earnings of $69,849, graduates land right in the middle of the state's offerings—beating smaller schools like University of Central Missouri but trailing UMSL by about $3,000 annually. The program falls just shy of the national median, which matters since CS graduates often compete for jobs nationwide. However, the $27,000 median debt is genuinely impressive, coming in well below both state and national averages. That 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than five months of their first-year salary, a manageable burden that gives them financial flexibility early in their careers.

The caveat here is significant: with fewer than 30 graduates in the sample, these numbers could shift considerably with a larger cohort. The program's middling earnings combined with the school's 81% admission rate and $1,326 average SAT suggests this isn't attracting the most competitive CS students who might command higher starting salaries. For a family choosing between Missouri options, the low debt makes Saint Louis University a safer bet than some peers, but Washington University's graduates earn $40,000 more annually—a gap that could quickly offset any debt advantage. If your child has stronger credentials, they might find better returns elsewhere in the state.