CollegeCostWise

Bachelor's · Erie, Pennsylvania

Is Computer and Information Sciences, General at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back fast: graduates typically recover the cost in about 2.2 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating
$90,721
Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating
$129,678
Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation
$22,250
NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families
$98k (likely $98k – $131k)
AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4
$91k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in PA
2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback
2.2 years (likely 2.0–2.6)
Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return
$575k (likely $481k – $652k)
Today's dollars
20-year net return
$1.62M (likely $1.40M – $1.86M)
Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide)
47%
Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
not reported / ≤ 10%
NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Computer and Information Sciences, General at other schools

💻 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward computers & coding majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

  • AP Computer Science Principles
  • AP Computer Science A
  • AP Precalculus
  • AP Calculus AB or BC

IB Higher Level

  • Computer Science HL
  • Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Computer and Information Sciences, General at other schools in Pennsylvania