Computer and Information Sciences at University of Kansas

University of Kansas graduates in Computer and Information Sciences earn about $6,200 more than the national median for CS majors within a year of graduating, placing them solidly in the 66th percentile nationwide. That advantage holds within Kansas too, though less dramatically—these graduates outpace the state median by about $1,600. Kansas State leads among Kansas schools at $76,385, but KU's starting salary of $67,565 combined with moderate debt makes for a fundamentally sound value proposition.

The financial picture here works cleanly: a debt load of $27,000 translates to a manageable 40% of first-year earnings, and graduates see steady income growth to nearly $79,000 by year four. That's a 16% bump in four years, suggesting career momentum rather than stagnation. The debt burden sits below both national and state medians despite KU being a flagship university with an 88% admission rate, meaning accessibility hasn't come at the cost of saddling students with extra loans.

For Kansas families, this is straightforward math. You're paying roughly the same debt as other in-state options while achieving above-average outcomes, and KU's broad accessibility means your student likely gets in if they want to. It won't match Kansas State's top earning power, but the combination of reasonable cost, solid placement, and reliable income growth makes this a dependable choice for a CS degree.