COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Computer Science bachelor's degree at Iowa State University
Ames, IA · Public
What this page covers
Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.
The short version
Reported earnings are close to similar programs.
$2,798 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 23.7% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $103,028 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- +133% · Strong payoff
- Available price data
- College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$412,110
$19,000Current college-wide context+$336,110
$20,000Annual price+$332,110
$40,000Annual price+$252,110
$60,000Annual price+$172,110
$80,000Annual price+$92,110
$100,000Annual price+$12,110
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT
Size, aid and an earnings floor.
The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$104,211$68,129 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 73 Parent PLUS borrowers.
Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$18,589
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$24,663
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$104,211
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$261/mo
Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Published college costs provide the starting point.
Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$18,589Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$24,018Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE88.7%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE75.3%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?
Reported earnings after completion.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.0% of gross monthly earnings
Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.
Gross monthly earnings$8,684
Estimated loan payment$261
117borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$104,211 vs. $107,009
$2,798 below the national median for the same field and credential.
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?
Related occupations, wages and outlook.
Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.
BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.Computer and Information Systems Managers$143,780 median wageIA estimate · 3,920 jobs · 11-3021$121,640–$173,860 middle 50% of IA wages+15.8% projected U.S. growth · 53,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer and Information Research Scientists$140,300 median wageU.S. estimate · 37,200 jobs · 15-1221+21.8% projected U.S. growth · 2,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeDatabase Architects$124,040 median wageIA estimate · 240 jobs · 15-1243$98,210–$143,440 middle 50% of IA wages+9.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeInformation Security Analysts$119,710 median wageIA estimate · 1,160 jobs · 15-1212$87,540–$135,440 middle 50% of IA wages+21.0% projected U.S. growth · 14,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSoftware Developers$114,890 median wageIA estimate · 9,040 jobs · 15-1252$95,600–$137,090 middle 50% of IA wages+10.2% projected U.S. growth · 95,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Occupations, All Other$107,340 median wageIA estimate · 3,850 jobs · 15-1299$77,020–$134,850 middle 50% of IA wages+5.1% projected U.S. growth · 27,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeData Scientists$95,830 median wageIA estimate · 2,300 jobs · 15-2051$71,010–$127,340 middle 50% of IA wages+34.6% projected U.S. growth · 24,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$89,510 median wageIA estimate · 290 jobs · 25-1021$75,490–$121,260 middle 50% of IA wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSoftware Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$88,590 median wageIA estimate · 1,000 jobs · 15-1253$76,270–$105,930 middle 50% of IA wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 10,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Programmers$79,180 median wageIA estimate · 950 jobs · 15-1251$72,010–$103,940 middle 50% of IA wages-7.3% projected U.S. growth · 4,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWeb and Digital Interface Designers$69,060 median wageIA estimate · 670 jobs · 15-1255$48,330–$84,220 middle 50% of IA wages+6.0% projected U.S. growth · 8,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Network Support Specialists$64,600 median wageIA estimate · 1,920 jobs · 15-1231$51,280–$80,460 middle 50% of IA wages+1.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS
Where graduates work five years later
The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Finance and Insurance
Manufacturing
Information
Educational Services
Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.
Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.
Grinnell College
$5,681 higher earnings · $8,288 less debt · $941 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $109,892
- Debt
- $16,375
- Annual net price
- $17,648
University of Northern Iowa
$2,688 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $89,305
- Debt
- $26,200
- Annual net price
- $15,901
Stanford University
$110,696 higher earnings · $14,264 less debt · $4,782 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $214,907
- Debt
- $10,399
- Annual net price
- $13,807
Williams College
$105,363 higher earnings · $12,455 less debt · $873 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $209,574
- Debt
- $12,208
- Annual net price
- $17,716
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
40 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
Your price and current earnings determine the result.
Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.
Calculate my payoff →