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SAME FIELD · SAME CREDENTIAL · ONE STATE

Computer Science master's degree programs in Illinois

Compare 6 reporting programs using the same federal field and master's degree credential definition. Earnings are observed four years after completion.

6Programs reporting earnings

$145,430Median year-4 earnings

Not availableMedian federal debt

0Programs reporting debt

OUTCOME SPREAD

Highest reported earnings in Illinois

Each bar uses the same field, credential, state and earnings year.

1Northwestern UniversityEvanston · Debt not reported$197,823 2University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign · Debt not reported$179,395 3University of ChicagoChicago · Debt not reported$169,765 4University of Illinois ChicagoChicago · Debt not reported$145,430 5Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago · Debt not reported$131,511 6University of Illinois SpringfieldSpringfield · Debt not reported$126,156

CAREER CONTEXT IN IL

What related occupations pay in Illinois

These are common occupational matches for this field, ranked by the strength of the federal education-to-occupation match.

11-3021Computer and Information Systems Managers

State median wage: $171,730
Middle 50% wage range: $133,220–$212,040
State employment: 31,680
Projected growth: +15.8%
Annual openings: 53,500

10th–90th percentile: $105,350–$273,500

15-1243Database Architects

State median wage: $142,500
Middle 50% wage range: $122,340–$167,870
State employment: 1,590
Projected growth: +9.4%
Annual openings: 3,900

10th–90th percentile: $97,820–$193,950

15-1221Computer and Information Research Scientists

State median wage: $136,540
Middle 50% wage range: $104,340–$170,390
State employment: 630
Projected growth: +21.8%
Annual openings: 2,900

10th–90th percentile: $49,190–$243,360

15-1252Software Developers

State median wage: $132,110
Middle 50% wage range: $101,540–$166,420
State employment: 56,310
Projected growth: +10.2%
Annual openings: 95,300

10th–90th percentile: $80,980–$194,740

15-1212Information Security Analysts

State median wage: $124,180
Middle 50% wage range: $98,910–$154,890
State employment: 5,260
Projected growth: +21.0%
Annual openings: 14,100

10th–90th percentile: $78,760–$172,830

15-2051Data Scientists

State median wage: $106,560
Middle 50% wage range: $84,610–$137,290
State employment: 10,520
Projected growth: +34.6%
Annual openings: 24,800

10th–90th percentile: $68,810–$168,880

15-1253Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

State median wage: $104,910
Middle 50% wage range: $83,020–$130,290
State employment: 6,530
Projected growth: +5.7%
Annual openings: 10,700

10th–90th percentile: $65,480–$150,620

15-1299Computer Occupations, All Other

State median wage: $99,360
Middle 50% wage range: $65,040–$133,070
State employment: 11,160
Projected growth: +5.1%
Annual openings: 27,000

10th–90th percentile: $53,590–$167,080

Career wages and employment are BLS estimates for everyone working in each occupation in Illinois; they are not earnings or placement rates for graduates of these programs. Wage ranges show the distribution across workers, not an entry-to-experienced career path. Growth and annual openings are national 2025–35 projections. BLS reports openings in thousands; DegreeVerdict displays the corresponding job count. These figures provide labor-market context and are not used in DegreeVerdict payoff or ROI calculations.

ALL REPORTING PROGRAMS

Compare every available outcome

Sorted by observed year-4 earnings. Open a row for its exact college-and-degree profile.

#	College	City	Median year-4 earnings	Median federal debt
1	Northwestern University	Evanston	$197,823	Not available
2	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	Champaign	$179,395	Not available
3	University of Chicago	Chicago	$169,765	Not available
4	University of Illinois Chicago	Chicago	$145,430	Not available
5	Illinois Institute of Technology	Chicago	$131,511	Not available
6	University of Illinois Springfield	Springfield	$126,156	Not available

This is an observed-outcomes comparison, not a universal quality ranking. Missing and privacy-suppressed programs are excluded.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

A quick read on Computer Science in Illinois

What do Computer Science master's degree graduates earn in Illinois?

Across 6 reporting programs, the median observed earnings figure is $145,430 four years after completion.

How much federal debt is reported for these programs?

The current federal release does not contain enough reportable debt figures for this comparison.

Which Illinois colleges report the highest earnings for this degree?

The table compares the same federal field, credential and earnings year. Northwestern University has the highest reported figure among the programs shown.