ROI Major

Computer Science at Bridgewater State University

MA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 11.07

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer Science degree from Bridgewater State University earn a median salary of $97,324 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $65,671. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.3 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

$77,346

Typical Career

$97,324

Top Performers

$124,613

Estimated break-even: 4.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$649

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,110. Most students can comfortably afford about a $649 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.3x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Massachusetts buys what costs $1.48 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 21.5%
Health Care & Social Assistance 18.6%
Public Administration 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

$65,671

Nominal: $97,324 in Massachusetts (COL 148.2% of national avg) · 32.5% lower 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).

4.3 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 $44,129 $59,848 $79,787
5 Years After Graduation $77,346 $97,324 $124,613
10 Years After Graduation $84,610 $124,951 $161,141

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 $97,324 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MA, which has a cost-of-living index of 148.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $97,324 × (1.0 ÷ 1.4820) = $65,671 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a Computer Science degree from Bridgewater State University can expect a significant increase in earnings over time. The median salary one year after graduation is $59,848, which rises to $97,324 after five years and reaches $124,951 after ten years. However, considering the cost of living in Massachusetts, where the cost of living index is 1.482 compared to the national average of 1.0, the purchasing-power-adjusted five-year salary is approximately $65,670.72, indicating that while earnings are robust, local economic factors should be considered.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (21.5%), Health Care & Social Assistance (18.6%), and Public Administration (8.9%), suggesting a diverse range of opportunities. The estimated break-even point for pursuing a Computer Science degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 4.3 years, indicating a relatively quick return on investment. Overall, the data suggests that a degree in Computer Science from Bridgewater State University can provide a solid financial foundation and access to various sectors, making it a worthwhile consideration for prospective students.

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 Bridgewater State University 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.

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