Computer Science at Western New England University

Western New England University's computer science program lands graduates near $80,000 in their first year—a solid outcome that beats the national median by about $9,000. The debt load is reasonable at under $27,000, giving graduates a manageable 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio. These numbers look promising until you zoom out to the Massachusetts context: among Bay State CS programs, this sits squarely at the 40th percentile for earnings, with the state median around $86,000. That gap matters in a state where tech employers regularly recruit from MIT, Harvard, and the other elite schools dotting the landscape.

The challenge here isn't the program itself—it's the competitive disadvantage of graduating from a less selective school in a tech hub dominated by name-brand institutions. Your child will likely secure decent employment (83% of applicants get in, so selectivity isn't a barrier to entry), but they'll be starting $6,000 below the state median while competing against graduates from much higher-ranked programs. The small sample size adds uncertainty to these figures.

For families paying in-state tuition or receiving significant aid, this could work as an affordable path into tech. But if you're paying full freight, Massachusetts offers stronger programs at similar or only marginally higher costs—programs that would give your graduate a better fighting chance in the state's competitive tech job market.