Computer and Information Sciences at Swarthmore College

Swarthmore's computer science graduates earn $103,686 in their first year—putting this program at the 95th percentile nationally and statewide—with salaries climbing to nearly $158,000 by year four. These are actual reported earnings, not estimates. The only uncertainty here is debt: with a small graduate sample, the DOE suppresses the school's actual debt figures, so we're using the Pennsylvania median for similar institutions ($27,000) as a proxy.

That estimated debt load, if accurate, would give graduates a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.26—meaning they'd owe roughly three months' salary. For context, Swarthmore's outcomes trail only Penn among Pennsylvania schools with reported data, and the 52% earnings growth from year one to year four suggests graduates are landing roles with genuine advancement potential, not just high entry salaries. The school's 7% acceptance rate and average SAT of 1527 signal intense selectivity, which likely explains these exceptional outcomes.

The main caveat is that actual debt could vary from the $27,000 estimate—Swarthmore's generous financial aid might push it lower, or its higher costs might push it higher. But even if debt ran $10,000-$15,000 above the estimate, the ratio would remain comfortably manageable given six-figure starting salaries. This looks like a strong investment for students who can gain admission and afford attendance.