MAJORS · 103 OF 115 SUBFIELDS BY ROI
Is a general computer & information sciences degree worth it?
Part of Computer and Information Sciences — see the whole category’s numbers.
On average, yes — the mean lifetime ROI is +$1,002,809. But the spread is the real story.
MEAN LIFETIME ROI · FREOPP 2021 · COHORT-WEIGHTED
+$1,002,809
across 457 bachelor’s programs · 51,363 graduates
MEDIAN GRADUATE
+$915K
MIDDLE 50% LAND BETWEEN
+$665K ⟷ +$1.26M
NEVER BREAK EVEN
0.5%
MEDIAN BREAK-EVEN AGE
27
ADJUSTED FOR REAL COMPLETION RATES
+$654K
IF YOU DROP OUT
−$115K
Questions
- Is a general computer & information sciences degree worth it?
- On average yes — across 457 U.S. bachelor’s programs (FREOPP 2021, cohort-weighted), the mean lifetime ROI for General Computer & Information Sciences is +$1,002,809 and the median is +$915,483. 0.5% of graduates in this field never break even on the degree. The honest answer depends heavily on the specific program and school: the middle half of graduates land between +$665,046 and +$1,262,186.
- How long until a general computer & information sciences degree pays off?
- Among General Computer & Information Sciences programs that do break even, the median graduate crosses into positive ROI at age 27 (FREOPP 2021). 0.5% of graduates in the field are in programs that never break even at all.
- Does the school matter for a general computer & information sciences major?
- Enormously. The middle 50% of General Computer & Information Sciences graduates span +$665,046 to +$1,262,186 — a +$597K spread within one major. The same field can be a strong trade at one school and a losing one at another, which is why the per-school number matters more than the field average.
↓ Download the data (CSV) · All 115 subfields with full statistics. Free to cite with attribution. · Methodology
Cite this:
LE TEEN (2026). “General Computer & Information Sciences: lifetime ROI statistics.” Data: FREOPP 2021. https://le-teen.com/majors/general-computer-and-information-sciences