ROI Major

Computer Science at Kennesaw State University

GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 11.07

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer Science degree from Kennesaw State University earn a median salary of $97,465 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $107,696. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.8 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

$72,367

Typical Career

$97,465

Top Performers

$124,935

Estimated break-even: 3.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$650

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,122. Most students can comfortably afford about a $650 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 Georgia buys what costs $0.91 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 16.7%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 15.5%
Health Care & Social Assistance 12.5%

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

$107,696

Nominal: $97,465 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% 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).

3.8 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 $50,202 $69,329 $85,447
5 Years After Graduation $72,367 $97,465 $124,935
10 Years After Graduation $88,880 $118,204 $155,208

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 $97,465 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $97,465 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $107,696 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 Kennesaw State University can expect a strong earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $69,329, which increases significantly to $97,465 five years post-graduation and reaches $118,204 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $107,696.13, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in the job market despite the cost of living in Georgia being lower than the national average.

The top industries for Kennesaw State Computer Science graduates include Educational Services (16.7%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (15.5%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (12.5%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 3.8 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in Computer Science is favorable. This data suggests that graduates can expect not only substantial salary growth but also diverse career opportunities in various sectors.

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 Kennesaw 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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