Computer and Information Sciences at Stevens Institute of Technology

Stevens Institute of Technology sits in one of the nation's most competitive tech corridors, yet based on comparable New Jersey computer science programs, graduates here appear to earn roughly $64,000 in their first year—below what peers produce at several state schools. The College of New Jersey's graduates command over $84,000, while Rutgers campuses all report around $80,000. For a selective private institution with an average SAT of 1447 and a 43% admission rate, these estimated returns raise questions about whether Stevens' name recognition translates into marketplace advantage within the state.

The debt picture offers some reassurance. At an estimated $25,000, borrowing levels mirror both state and national norms for computer science degrees, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio reasonable at 0.39. That's manageable debt for a field with strong long-term prospects. However, the gap between Stevens and top-performing state programs becomes harder to justify if the starting salary differential persists throughout careers—you're paying private school tuition for what looks like mid-tier New Jersey outcomes.

The limited data here matters. With both earnings and debt estimated from peer institutions rather than Stevens' actual graduate outcomes, there's genuine uncertainty about whether this specific program performs better or worse than these figures suggest. If your child has offers from Rutgers or TCNJ with lower tuition, those programs currently show stronger documented returns. Stevens may offer other advantages—research opportunities, smaller classes, industry connections—but the available numbers don't make the financial case clear.