Location: Houston, TX•In-State Tuition: $7,746•Out-of-State Tuition: $21,330•Admission Rate: 75%•Avg SAT: 1105
Median Earnings (1yr)
$52,884
28th percentile
40th percentile in Texas
Median Debt
$28,143
13% above national median
D/E Ratio: 0.53 ManageableSample: 26 graduates Limited data

Analysis

UH-Clear Lake's Computer Science program produces starting salaries around $53,000—below both the Texas median ($55,172) and well behind the state's top performers like UT Austin ($111,587) and Texas A&M ($81,231). More concerning, earnings actually decline slightly by year four, dropping to $51,160. The program ranks at the 40th percentile among Texas CS programs, meaning six out of ten similar programs in the state deliver better outcomes. With debt of $28,143 (above the Texas median), graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53, which is manageable but not ideal for a technical degree that typically commands higher pay.

The context matters here: UH-Clear Lake serves a high proportion of working adults and career changers in the Houston area, which may explain both the modest earnings and the unusual earnings pattern. However, these numbers are based on a small sample (under 30 graduates), so individual outcomes could vary significantly. Houston's strong tech job market should theoretically support better CS salaries, making these figures somewhat disappointing.

For students targeting a solid CS career with strong earning potential, this program underperforms expectations. If cost is the primary concern and location flexibility matters, Texas offers substantially better options at similar price points, including Texas Tech and Texas A&M. If UH-Clear Lake is the only viable option due to location or part-time study needs, understand you're paying near-median debt for below-median outcomes in a state with many stronger CS programs.

Where University of Houston-Clear Lake Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all computer and information sciences bachelors's programs nationally

University of Houston-Clear LakeOther computer and information sciences programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How University of Houston-Clear Lake graduates compare to all programs nationally

University of Houston-Clear Lake earns $53k — 28th percentile among computer and information sciences bachelors programs.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
University of Houston-Clear Lake$52,884$51,160-3%
Rice University$131,154$172,391+31%
The University of Texas at Austin$111,587$112,017+0%
Trinity University$77,311$108,840+41%
Texas A&M University-College Station$81,231$101,263+25%

Compare to Similar Programs in Texas

Computer and Information Sciences bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Texas (59 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
University of Houston-Clear LakeHouston$7,746$52,884$51,160$28,1430.53
Rice UniversityHouston$58,128$131,154$172,391$12,3810.09
The University of Texas at AustinAustin$11,678$111,587$112,017$20,5000.18
Texas Tech UniversityLubbock$11,852$82,521$91,795$23,1970.28
Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station$13,099$81,231$101,263$20,3950.25
Prairie View A & M UniversityPrairie View$11,299$77,763$80,128$28,0640.36
National Median—$61,322—$25,0000.41

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with computer and information sciences graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Software Developers

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. Document software and application defects using a bug tracking system and report defects to software or web developers. Create and maintain databases of known defects. May participate in software design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, operational characteristics, product designs, and schedules.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer Network Architects

Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning, including analysis of capacity needs for network infrastructures. May also design network and computer security measures. May research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.

$130,390/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Telecommunications Engineering Specialists

Design or configure wired, wireless, and satellite communications systems for voice, video, and data services. Supervise installation, service, and maintenance.

$130,390/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Information Security Analysts

Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.

$124,910/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Administrators

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Architects

Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Warehousing Specialists

Design, model, or implement corporate data warehousing activities. Program and configure warehouses of database information and provide support to warehouse users.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At University of Houston-Clear Lake, approximately 44% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 26 graduates with reported earnings and 26 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.