Computer and Information Sciences at University of Pittsburgh-Bradford

At first glance, a computer science degree with $27,000 in debt seems manageable—until you realize that Pitt-Bradford graduates earn $49,298, roughly $12,000 less than the typical Pennsylvania CS graduate and $12,000 below the national median. This program sits at the 40th percentile within Pennsylvania, meaning 6 out of 10 CS programs in the state produce better outcomes. The gap becomes stark when you consider that several other Pennsylvania schools place graduates earning $80,000-plus in their first year.

The debt itself isn't excessive compared to national norms, but the earnings shortfall is the real issue here. A 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio is workable, but your child would start their career earning what many liberal arts majors make, not what CS graduates typically command. For context, Pennsylvania's median CS graduate earns $8,000 more annually—that's nearly $100,000 in additional lifetime earnings over the first decade alone.

If your child is choosing Pitt-Bradford for location or cost reasons, understand that they'll likely need to be more aggressive about internships, self-teaching in-demand skills, and potentially relocating after graduation to close the earnings gap. The moderate sample size suggests reasonably consistent outcomes, so this isn't a fluke year. For a field where starting salary typically matters tremendously for long-term career trajectory, this program underperforms its peers considerably.