Mathematics and Computer Science: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 8 reporting college programs.
+$650,258 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.
Observed national outcomes
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign$155,5032Santa Clara University$147,0133University of California, San Diego$137,2184University of Akron Main Campus$85,9685University of Illinois Chicago$77,3216Harvey Mudd CollegeNot available7Temple UniversityNot available8George Mason UniversityNot availableObserved year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignBachelor's Degree | Champaign, IL | $155,503 | $23,350 | +365% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Santa Clara UniversityBachelor's Degree | Santa Clara, CA | $147,013 | $21,500 | +168% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | University of California, San DiegoBachelor's Degree | La Jolla, CA | $137,218 | $18,887 | +301% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | University of Akron Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Akron, OH | $85,968 | $24,813 | +74% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | University of Illinois ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $77,321 | $19,750 | +44% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Harvey Mudd CollegeBachelor's Degree | Claremont, CA | Not available | $23,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $35,924 |
| 7 | Temple UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | Not available | $28,185 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $28,198 |
| 8 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $17,915 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.