ROI Major

Computer and Information Sciences, General at College of Saint Scholastica

MN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 11.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer and Information Sciences, General degree from College of Saint Scholastica earn a median salary of $84,962 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $90,289. 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

$58,893

Typical Career

$84,962

Top Performers

$103,500

Estimated break-even: 4.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$566

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,080. Most students can comfortably afford about a $566 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.1x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 52.5%
Educational Services 9.1%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 5.4%

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

$90,289

Nominal: $84,962 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% 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).

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 $48,761 $67,042 $82,009
5 Years After Graduation $58,893 $84,962 $103,500
10 Years After Graduation $67,768 $95,075 $130,004

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 $84,962 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $84,962 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $90,289 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the College of Saint Scholastica's Computer and Information Sciences program can expect a solid earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $67,042, which increases to $84,962 five years post-graduation and reaches $95,075 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $90,289.05, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial position relative to their peers across the country.

The program's graduates primarily enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector (52.5%), followed by Educational Services (9.1%) and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (5.4%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 4.3 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and diverse industry opportunities supports a positive career outlook for students in this field.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Computer and Information Sciences, General degree at College of Saint Scholastica 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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