ROI Major

Computer Science at University of Southern Indiana

IN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 11.07

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer Science degree from University of Southern Indiana earn a median salary of $74,086 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $81,954. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.6 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$58,256

Typical Career

$74,086

Top Performers

$97,497

Estimated break-even: 5.6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$494

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,174. Most students can comfortably afford about a $494 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Indiana buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Manufacturing.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 31.3%
Educational Services 15.8%
Manufacturing 8.9%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$81,954

Nominal: $74,086 in Indiana (COL 90.4% of national avg) · 10.6% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

5.6 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $42,371 $54,804 $63,180
5 Years After Graduation $58,256 $74,086 $97,497
10 Years After Graduation $76,285 $104,748 $135,613

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $74,086 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IN, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.4% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $74,086 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9040) = $81,954 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Computer Science program at the University of Southern Indiana can expect a positive earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, the median earnings are $54,804, which increases to $74,086 after five years and reaches $104,748 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $81,953.54 nationally, indicating that graduates maintain competitive earnings relative to their peers across the country, despite the lower cost of living in Indiana.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (31.3%), Educational Services (15.8%), and Manufacturing (8.9%), suggesting a diverse range of opportunities in sectors that are integral to the economy. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 5.6 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in Computer Science at this institution appears favorable, particularly given the strong demand for technology professionals in various fields.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Computer Science degree at University of Southern Indiana stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

Ready to apply?

Start your application for Computer Science at University of Southern Indiana.

Apply to University of Southern Indiana

Explore More

Other Degrees at University of Southern Indiana