Computer and Information Sciences at Western Michigan University

Western Michigan's computer science graduates start below the state's median earnings—landing at $55,770 compared to Michigan's typical $67,287 for similar programs. More concerning, this puts the program in just the 25th percentile statewide, meaning three-quarters of Michigan's computer science programs produce higher first-year earnings. When you consider that Grand Valley State, also a regional public university, sees graduates earning $74,360, the gap becomes harder to justify even with WMU's accessible admissions.

The silver lining is debt: at $31,000, it's manageable relative to those first-year earnings (0.56 ratio), and graduates see decent growth to $65,945 by year four. That's solid upward momentum, though it still leaves them trailing most Michigan alternatives. For context, this is a state with several strong public options for tech—University of Michigan-Dearborn and Wayne State both deliver earnings above $77,000 without premium private school pricing.

The real question for Michigan families is whether WMU's lower admission standards and presumably easier acceptance warrant the trade-off in earning potential. If your student has the credentials for MSU or U-M Dearborn, those programs deliver $20,000+ more annually right out of the gate. WMU works as a safety school option, but Michigan residents should exhaust higher-performing state universities first.