Computer and Information Sciences at Texas A&M University-Central Texas

Texas A&M-Central Texas graduates with computer science degrees earn $45,536 their first year—about $10,000 below the Texas median and nearly $16,000 below the national average. More concerning, that quarter-percentile ranking among Texas programs means 75% of computer science programs in the state deliver better outcomes. When your main campus in College Station produces $81,000 first-year earners, these numbers demand explanation. The open-admission policy and high Pell enrollment suggest this campus serves a different student population, likely working adults transitioning careers, which could account for lower but still meaningful earnings.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $24,095, it's actually below the Texas median and roughly on par nationally. That 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't alarming, and graduates do see modest growth to $49,000 by year four. For a student who might otherwise skip college entirely—perhaps a military spouse in Killeen looking to build technical skills—this program could work. But families with other options should recognize they're paying Texas A&M prices for outcomes that trail far behind what the university system delivers elsewhere.

The gap between this campus and its peers isn't subtle. If your child can access UT Austin or the main A&M campus, that's $30,000-65,000 more in first-year earnings. For students geographically bound to Central Texas, this beats not having a degree, but don't expect the typical computer science premium.