Computer and Information Sciences at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Pitt's computer science graduates start at nearly $50,000—well below both Pennsylvania's median ($57,260) and the national average ($61,322) for this degree. While landing at the 40th percentile statewide might seem middle-of-the-road, it's worth noting that Pennsylvania peers like Lehigh and Villanova deliver starting salaries in the low $80,000s, and even some regional competitors significantly outpace Pitt's numbers. For a school with selective admissions and strong SAT scores, these outcomes fall short of what similar programs achieve.

The $27,000 debt load matches Pennsylvania's median and sits just above the national figure, which isn't unreasonable. But when paired with below-average earnings, that 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates face a tougher financial start than most computer science majors nationwide. Given that tech salaries typically allow for comfortable debt repayment, this ratio suggests Pitt's program may not be opening the same doors as comparable institutions.

If your child has options at similarly ranked schools, compare computer science outcomes carefully. Pitt remains a solid university overall, but this particular program appears to underdeliver on the earnings premium that usually makes computer science degrees such strong investments. The gap between Pitt's results and Pennsylvania's stronger programs is substantial enough to warrant serious consideration of alternatives.