ROI Major

Computer Science at Millikin University

IL · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 11.07

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer Science degree from Millikin University earn a median salary of $81,671 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $88,966. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.3 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

$70,992

Typical Career

$81,671

Top Performers

$92,787

Estimated break-even: 5.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$544

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,806. Most students can comfortably afford about a $544 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.1x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 21.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance 18.5%
Manufacturing 10.6%

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

$88,966

Nominal: $81,671 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% 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).

5.3 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 $38,050 $52,636 $66,665
5 Years After Graduation $70,992 $81,671 $92,787
10 Years After Graduation $82,479 $112,807 $133,556

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 $81,671 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $81,671 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180) = $88,966 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 Millikin University can expect a significant earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $52,636, which increases to $81,671 after five years and reaches $112,807 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $88,966.23, indicating that graduates maintain competitive earnings relative to national standards despite the cost of living index in Illinois being slightly lower than the national average.

The top industries for Millikin Computer Science graduates include Educational Services (21.9%), Health Care & Social Assistance (18.5%), and Manufacturing (10.6%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 5.3 years compared to a high-school-only path, pursuing a degree in Computer Science at Millikin University presents a favorable return on investment. The combination of strong earnings potential and diverse employment opportunities in key sectors suggests that this degree can lead to a solid career foundation.

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 Millikin 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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