Computer Science graduates from American University earn $117,293 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Computer Science at American University
Washington, District of Columbia • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Computer Science at American University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for American University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Computer Science at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 24 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at American University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $117,293 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $100,294 across all institutions offering Computer Science, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at American University, the mean median-earnings figure is $75,532, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Computer Science at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | $268,121 | $21,442 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $225,141 | $11,077 |
| Cornell University | $223,309 | $14,750 |
| Princeton University | $217,973 | — |
| Pomona College | $217,051 | — |
| Stanford University | $214,907 | $10,399 |
| Brown University | $214,479 | $11,500 |
| Williams College | $209,574 | $12,208 |
| University of California-Berkeley | $204,379 | $13,750 |
| Harvard University | $203,169 | — |
Other Programs at American University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $134,332 | $22,625 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $127,356 | $51,250 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $127,269 | $89,433 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $119,020 | — |
| Computer Science (current) | $117,293 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | $112,384 | — |
| Law | $109,523 | $161,696 |
| Public Administration | $107,866 | $55,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $104,878 | $26,500 |
| Economics | $103,169 | $46,108 |
Other Schools with Computer Science
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.