Computer and Information Sciences at SUNY at Fredonia

With $27,000 in debt and first-year earnings around $62,600—typical for computer science programs across New York—SUNY Fredonia offers a financially sensible path into tech. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43 means graduates carry less than half their first-year salary in debt, a manageable burden that should allow for comfortable repayment within standard ten-year terms. While the earnings don't match the eye-popping six-figure starting salaries from elite programs like Cornell or Barnard, they align closely with both state and national medians for this degree.

What makes this program particularly viable is how the four-year earnings figure ($66,551) confirms steady earning potential rather than a dramatic early peak followed by stagnation. For a regional SUNY campus with a 79% admission rate, these outcomes—based on peer institutions in New York—suggest the program delivers solid preparation for entry-level software development, IT, or systems analyst roles. The debt load, meanwhile, sits well below what many private colleges charge for comparable credentials.

The practical reality: your child would likely enter the workforce earning what most computer science graduates earn nationwide, with debt that shouldn't dominate their financial life. Without actual graduate data from Fredonia itself, there's inherent uncertainty, but the broader pattern across New York's public universities suggests this represents a low-risk investment for accessing tech careers.