by our College Data Analytics Team
[Computer Science](/majors/computer-information-sciences/computer-science/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a computer science degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their computer science graduates.
What’s on this page:
The computer science program you select can have a big impact on your future earnings. That is why we developed our Highest Paid Computer Science Graduates ranking. It looks at the median early-career salaries graduates earn, so you can find the schools whose computer science degrees pay off the most.
Learn more about our methodology
We offer a number of rankings, including this Highest Paid Computer Science Graduates list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
Below are the schools whose computer science graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in computer science, no school beat Carnegie Mellon University this year. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career computer science graduates from Carnegie Mellon University make a median of around $251,632 per year.
Normandale Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying computer science schools. Normandale Community College is a public school located in the city of Bloomington. Computer Science graduates of Normandale Community College earn a median of about $87,668 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in computer science will find them at Brown University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Providence, Brown University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, computer science degree recipients from Brown University typically earn about $271,601 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in computer science will find them at Stanford University, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career computer science graduates from Stanford University make a median of around $247,797 per year.
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology produces some of the highest-paid graduates in computer science, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, computer science degree recipients from Massachusetts Institute Of Technology typically earn about $220,064 annually.
University Of California Berkeley came in at #6 for computer science graduate earnings this year. University Of California Berkeley is a public school located in the city of Berkeley. Computer Science graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of about $225,140 a year early in their careers.
Cornell University landed the #7 spot for computer science salaries this year. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution. Computer Science graduates of Cornell University earn a median of about $219,827 a year early in their careers.
Harvard University earned the #8 position for computer science graduate earnings this year. Harvard University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Students who complete the computer science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $219,550.
Bowdoin College came in at #9 for computer science graduate earnings this year. Set in the town of Brunswick, Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit institution. Computer Science graduates of Bowdoin College earn a median of about $177,788 a year early in their careers.
California Institute Of Technology came in at #10 for computer science graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Pasadena, California Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the computer science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $173,344.
Harvey Mudd College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying computer science schools. Harvey Mudd College is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Claremont. Students who complete the computer science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $220,204.
University Of Chicago ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying computer science schools. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the computer science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $227,147.
Duke University placed #13 among the highest-paying schools for computer science. Located in the city of Durham, Duke University is a private not-for-profit institution. Computer Science graduates of Duke University earn a median of about $201,846 a year early in their careers.
San Jose State University came in at #14 for computer science graduate earnings this year. San Jose State University is a public school located in the city of San Jose. After graduating, computer science degree recipients from San Jose State University typically earn about $160,714 annually.
Dartmouth College came in at #15 for computer science graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Hanover, Dartmouth College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the computer science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $192,848.
University Of Southern California landed the #16 spot for computer science salaries this year. University Of Southern California is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Early-career computer science graduates from University Of Southern California make a median of around $180,906 per year.
Columbia University In The City Of New York ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying computer science schools. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a private not-for-profit institution. Computer Science graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of about $204,511 a year early in their careers.
Princeton University came in at #18 for computer science graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Princeton, Princeton University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career computer science graduates from Princeton University make a median of around $146,624 per year.
University Of Pennsylvania ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying computer science schools. Set in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the computer science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $171,166.
Pomona College came in at #20 for computer science graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Claremont, Pomona College is a private not-for-profit institution. Computer Science graduates of Pomona College earn a median of about $143,084 a year early in their careers.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign placed #21 among the highest-paying schools for computer science. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public school located in the city of Champaign. After graduating, computer science degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign typically earn about $170,405 annually.
University Of Washington Bothell Campus ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying computer science schools. Located in the suburb of Bothell, University Of Washington Bothell Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the computer science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $162,117.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus earned the #23 position for computer science graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public institution. Early-career computer science graduates from University Of Washington Seattle Campus make a median of around $162,117 per year.
Amherst College came in at #24 for computer science graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Amherst, Amherst College is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, computer science degree recipients from Amherst College typically earn about $194,751 annually.
Williams College placed #25 among the highest-paying schools for computer science. Williams College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Williamstown. Students who complete the computer science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $163,743.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning computer science graduates:
These schools also placed among the highest-paying for computer science graduates this year:
| Rank | College | Location | Avg Salary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #51 | University Of Portland | Portland, OR | $136,265 | Full Report |
| #52 | Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | $119,949 | Full Report |
| #53 | Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA | $129,863 | Full Report |
Also worth considering for earnings in computer science:
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries computer science graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.