Computer Science at Valparaiso University

At $59,863 in first-year earnings, Valparaiso's computer science graduates earn roughly $11,000 less than the Indiana median and trail the national benchmark by about $11,000. This matters because Indiana isn't exactly a high-cost tech hub—when you're earning below the state median where living costs are relatively modest, the gap is real money. The program sits at the 40th percentile statewide, meaning six out of ten Indiana computer science programs produce better-earning graduates. Compare this to what students could earn from Purdue ($95K), IU-Bloomington ($78K), or even regional options like IU-Southeast ($73K), and the opportunity cost becomes clear.

The positive story here is debt: at $27,000, it's manageable and only slightly above both state and national medians. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 means graduates could theoretically pay off loans in under three years if they lived frugally, which is reasonable. But that assumes the career trajectory improves from its modest starting point—and in computer science, where many grads command six-figure salaries within a few years, starting at $60K puts you behind your peers who chose higher-ranked programs.

If your child has other strong options for computer science in Indiana, particularly the flagship state schools, those would likely offer better returns. Valparaiso works if there are compelling non-financial reasons to attend, but purely as a tech career investment, the numbers suggest looking elsewhere.