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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 CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Computer Science is the 12th most popular major in the country with 59,565 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, computer science graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $67,538 and had an average of $23,620 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 384 colleges that offered a degree in computer science. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent computer science programs, but they also 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Out of the 384 schools in the Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. Duke University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Durham, North Carolina. It awarded 404 ’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Duke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Duke is $-927 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.

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 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Computer Science at Duke

2
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 628 ’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our compsci students whose families make $30-$48k list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,581 for CompSci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Stanford.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Science at Stanford University

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 692 degrees to qualified ’s compsci students in 2020-2021.

MIT did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It costs about $-2,603 for CompSci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 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.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Computer Science at MIT

4
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 384 schools in the Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #4 spot on the list. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s compsci degrees to 187 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 compsci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Harvard.

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. 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%.

Read more about Computer Science at Harvard

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 84 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,190 for CompSci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California Institute of Technology.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Computer Science at Caltech

6
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value CompSci 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 compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $4,777 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, 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 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Chicago Computer Science Report

7

Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 898 ’s degrees 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 University in the City of New York is $4,699 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Computer Science at Columbia

8
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 199 ’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our compsci students whose families make $30-$48k list, UPenn has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $1,938 for CompSci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Computer Science at University of Pennsylvania

9
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #9, Williams College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Williams did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It costs about $5,480 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Williams College.

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 landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s compsci degrees to 319 students in 2020-2021.

Brown not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Brown is $2,842 for CompSci 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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%.

Read more about Computer Science at Brown

11
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Ithaca, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s compsci degrees to 744 students in 2020-2021.

Cornell also made our “Best Computer Science Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Cornell University is $5,133 for CompSci 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 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%. 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.

Read full report on Computer Science at Cornell University

12
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized school located in Hanover, New Hampshire that handed out 141 ’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Dartmouth also made our “Best Computer Science Schools” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $8,718 for CompSci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dartmouth College.

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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full Dartmouth Computer Science Report

13
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 227 ’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $917 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Science at Northwestern

14
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #14, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s compsci degrees to 229 students in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt also took the #13 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $4,652 for CompSci 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 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 Vanderbilt

15

Washington University in St Louis came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s compsci degrees to 280 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WUSTL, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Washington University in St Louis is $2,446 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Computer Science at WUSTL

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

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 572 ’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

Purdue also made our “Best Computer Science Schools” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,853 for compsci 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 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Science at Purdue University - Main Campus

17

University of California - Berkeley came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 856 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It costs about $9,999 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Berkeley.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Berkeley Computer Science Report

18
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Tufts is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 237 ’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,987 for CompSci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Tufts University.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Computer Science at Tufts

19

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s compsci degrees to 461 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our compsci students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,729 for CompSci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

Read more about Computer Science at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

20

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 470 ’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $6,399 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Computer Science at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

21
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 34 ’s compsci degrees 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 yearly cost to attend Amherst is $4,459 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Computer Science at Amherst

22

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 901 ’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Computer Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Full UIUC Computer Science Report

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

With a ranking of #23, Wake Forest University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 51 ’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Wake Forest University also claimed a top spot on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $5,612 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, 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 95%.

Read more about Computer Science at Wake Forest University

24
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 85 ’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Georgetown 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 yearly cost to attend Georgetown is $9,871 for compsci 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 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%.

Read more about Computer Science at Georgetown

25
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #25, William & Mary did quite well on the 2023 Best Value CompSci Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s compsci degrees to 78 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, William & Mary is in the top on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Computer Science Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $7,507 for compsci students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Computer Science at William & Mary

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value CompSci 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
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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
37
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York
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 CompSci 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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