Computer science: every university, ranked by pay
Computer Science at Southern Methodist University
Bachelor's degree · University Park, Texas · 180 graduates in two years
What do SMU computer science graduates earn?
Median yearly pay of graduates who had federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Hidden where too few graduates to publish.
What does it take to get into SMU?
Admission is to the university, not the program, at most US schools.
How much does SMU cost?
Sticker price for a year, and what students actually paid after grants.
The cost by family income, debt and who finishes are on SMU's page.
What careers does Computer Science lead to?
Careers people reach through this field, each with its pay, training and what the work is like.
- Software DeveloperYou write the thing, then spend most of your time working out why it does not do what you meant.$136kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand
- Data ScientistTurn messy company data into numbers a boss can act on, using code and statistics.$120kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand
- Cybersecurity AnalystWatch a network for attacks and shut them down. Certifications count as much as a degree here.$129kTypical pay2 to 5 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand
- Business AnalystWork out what a company actually needs, then write it down clearly enough to build.$102kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand
- Cloud EngineerBuild and run the servers, networks and storage that other people's apps live on, without ever touching a physical machine.$134kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand
- Data AnalystTurn a company's messy data into answers people can act on. The most reachable job in the data field.$120kTypical pay2 to 4 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand
Computer Science at other universities
The same program elsewhere, Texas first, then the best paid.
| University | Pay, five years out | Debt | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M UniversityTexas | $134,139 | $17,364 | 57% |
| Texas State UniversityTexas | $106,161 | $20,500 | 89% |
| Carnegie Mellon UniversityPennsylvania | $271,805 | $19,000 | 12% |
| California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia | $248,772 | Hidden | 3% |
| Cornell UniversityNew York | $239,085 | $12,500 | 9% |
| Stanford UniversityCalifornia | $236,767 | $12,000 | 4% |
| Brown UniversityRhode Island | $234,845 | $15,000 | 5% |
| University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia | $228,465 | $13,289 | 11% |
| Columbia UniversityNew York | $222,515 | $16,500 | 4% |
| Dartmouth CollegeNew Hampshire | $217,493 | $11,000 | 5% |
| Harvard UniversityMassachusetts | $208,886 | $13,000 | 4% |
| Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts | $203,879 | $10,000 | 5% |
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Pay is the median for graduates who received federal aid, measured one and five years after finishing; debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Southern Methodist University. Figures describe past students.