Computer Science at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

UMass Amherst's Computer Science program punches well above its 58% admission rate, placing graduates in the 83rd percentile nationally for earnings—a remarkable outcome for a public university. First-year graduates earn $88,554, rising to nearly $112,000 by year four, with minimal debt of just $23,569. That 0.27 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates can realistically pay off their loans in under four months of work, making this one of the clearer financial wins in higher education.

The 60th percentile ranking among Massachusetts programs tells an interesting story. Yes, MIT and Harvard graduates earn considerably more ($154K and $152K respectively), but those elite schools serve a fundamentally different applicant pool. For students who fit UMass Amherst's academic profile—mid-1300s SAT, solid but not stratospheric—this program delivers exceptional value. You're getting earnings that actually exceed the Massachusetts median while paying in-state tuition at a flagship public university.

The strong earnings trajectory matters here too. Many CS programs see graduates plateau quickly as the field commoditizes certain skills, but UMass grads see 26% income growth in just three years. Combined with the low debt burden and broad job placement that comes from the university's strong regional reputation, this is exactly the kind of program that offers tremendous return on investment without requiring your child to be in the top 1% of applicants.