Computer and Information Sciences at University of the Cumberlands

University of the Cumberlands graduates are entering the tech workforce earning $40,725 their first year—roughly $10,000 below Kentucky's median for computer science programs and $20,000 below the national figure. That's a significant gap in a field known for strong early-career earnings. While the $24,000 debt load seems manageable on paper, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 tells a different story than you'd expect from most CS programs, where graduates typically command salaries high enough to make similar debt trivial.

The numbers get starker when you zoom out: this program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally among computer science degrees. Even within Kentucky—where tech salaries run lower than coastal markets—it sits at the 25th percentile. Compare this to University of Kentucky grads earning $71,000 or even Western Kentucky at $49,000, and the opportunity cost becomes clear. The sample size is small here, which means these figures could shift year to year, but the pattern is consistent enough to warrant attention.

For a field where starting salaries typically justify the investment quickly, this program presents an unusual challenge. If your child is set on University of the Cumberlands for other reasons—location, community, or financial aid that dramatically reduces out-of-pocket costs—understand they may need to compensate with internships, certifications, or graduate work to reach competitive salary levels.