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2023 Best Value Colleges for Computer Science (Income $30-$48k)

384 Ranked Colleges
59,565 Degrees Awarded
$5,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

With 59,565 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, computer science is the 8th most popular major in the United States.

This year’s “Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 384 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in computer science. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great computer science programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the computer science program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Computer Science (Income $30-$48k)

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 404 diplomas to qualified ’s computer science students in 2020-2021.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It costs about $-927 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Duke University. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Computer Science at Duke University

2
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 628 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $1,581 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Stanford Computer Science Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 692 diplomas to qualified ’s computer science students in 2020-2021.

MIT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $-2,603 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Computer Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

4
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 187 diplomas to qualified ’s computer science students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Harvard, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,396 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Harvard.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Computer Science at Harvard

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. California Institute of Technology is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 84 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

Caltech also made our “Best Computer Science Schools” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for California Institute of Technology is $12,190 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Computer Science at California Institute of Technology

6
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 337 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also took the #12 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $4,777 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Computer Science at University of Chicago

7

Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 898 diplomas to qualified ’s computer science students in 2020-2021.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia is $4,699 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Computer Science Report

8
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s computer science degrees to 199 students in 2020-2021.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $1,938 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Computer Science at University of Pennsylvania

9
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 46 degrees to qualified ’s computer science students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Williams, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Williams is $5,480 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Computer Science at Williams

10
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Brown is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 319 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer science students whose families make $30-$48k list, Brown has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brown is $2,842 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Brown Computer Science Report

11
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cornell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 744 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer science students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cornell has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,133 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cornell University.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Cornell Computer Science Report

12
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

With a ranking of #12, Dartmouth College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Hanover, New Hampshire, and it awarded 141 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dartmouth, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth College is $8,718 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Computer Science at Dartmouth College

13
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s computer science degrees to 227 students in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also made our “Best Computer Science Schools” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $917 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Computer Science at Northwestern University

14
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #14, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 229 ’s computer science degrees to qualified students.

Vanderbilt also made our “Best Computer Science Schools” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt University is $4,652 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at Vanderbilt

15

Washington University in St Louis landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 280 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL also made our “Best Computer Science Schools” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for WUSTL is $2,446 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Washington University in St Louis Computer Science Report

16
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #16, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 572 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer science students whose families make $30-$48k list, Purdue has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,853 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Purdue Computer Science Report

17

University of California - Berkeley ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 856 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer science students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Berkeley is $9,999 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of California - Berkeley Computer Science Report

18
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 237 diplomas to qualified ’s computer science students in 2020-2021.

Tufts also made our “Best Computer Science Schools” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $7,987 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Tufts.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Computer Science at Tufts University

19

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 461 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $5,729 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at UNC Chapel Hill

20

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 470 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer science students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW Seattle has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $6,399 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UW Seattle Computer Science Report

21
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s computer science degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Amherst also did well on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Amherst College is $4,459 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Computer Science at Amherst

22

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s computer science degrees to 901 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer science students whose families make $30-$48k list, UIUC has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $8,036 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Computer Science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

23
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 51 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Wake Forest University also did well on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It costs about $5,612 for Computer Science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Computer Science at Wake Forest University

24
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. Georgetown is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 85 ’s computer science degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Georgetown also did well on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Georgetown University is $9,871 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Computer Science at Georgetown

25
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 78 ’s computer science degrees in 2020-2021.

William & Mary excels when it comes to computer science quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It costs about $7,507 for computer science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William & Mary.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Computer Science at William & Mary

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
27
28
29
30
BHCC crest
Bunker Hill Community College
Boston, Massachusetts
31
32
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California
33
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia
34
35
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York
36
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
37
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York
37
39
40
41
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York
42
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota
43
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
44
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
45
Middlebury crest
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont
46
47
48
WGU crest
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, Utah
49
50
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Computer Science Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51El Centro CollegeDallas, TX
52California State University - FullertonFullerton, CA
53Brigham Young University - IdahoRexburg, ID
54Collin County Community College DistrictMcKinney, TX
55Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI
56Brigham Young University - ProvoProvo, UT
57Indiana University - Purdue University - IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN
58University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA

Notes and References

References

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