---
title: Is a Computer Programming degree worth the debt?
cip: 1102
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Computer Programming degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Bachelor's**, across **28** colleges (28 of 28 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $53,952 ($62,260 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $31,000 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 0.57× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $50,943–$54,066 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate | $39,548 | $7,125 | 0.15× | 6 | 6/6 |
| Associate's | $37,666 | $16,833 | 0.40× | 38 | 38/38 |
| Bachelor's | $53,952 | $31,000 | 0.57× | 28 | 28/28 |

## Where a Bachelor's in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology (WA) | $80,803 | $27,000 |
| North Seattle College (WA) | $71,531 | — |
| Neumont College of Computer Science (UT) | $70,731 | — |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn (MI) | $67,925 | $18,502 |
| Bellevue University (NE) | $62,477 | $20,517 |
| New England Institute of Technology (RI) | $59,619 | $35,500 |
| Baker College (MI) | $54,410 | — |
| Herzing University-Birmingham (AL) | $53,952 | $31,000 |
| Herzing University-Atlanta (GA) | $53,952 | $31,000 |
| Herzing University-Minneapolis (MN) | $53,952 | $31,000 |
| Herzing University-Akron (OH) | $53,952 | $31,000 |
| Herzing University-Madison (WI) | $53,952 | $31,000 |
| Herzing University-Orlando (FL) | $53,952 | $31,000 |
| Herzing University-New Orleans (LA) | $53,952 | $31,000 |
| Herzing University-Kenosha (WI) | $53,952 | $31,000 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/computer-programming.jsonld` · `/education/fields/computer-programming.json`