DEEPCOLLEGES · OPS · v3.3 SCHOOLS·INDEXED 120 SOURCES IPEDS · CDS · SCORECARD LAST·SYNC 2026.04.29
MAJOR GUIDE · 2026

Best Colleges for Computer Science: Ranked by Graduate Salary, Not Prestige
— ranked by salary, not prestige.

We rank by what graduates actually earn — not by reputation surveys.

01

The ranking

sortable · by salary outcomes
Rank School Salary Accept ROI Verdict
① Caltech $133,687 3.1%
REACH
② MIT $133,687 4.7%
REACH
③ UC Berkeley $117,450 11.7%
REACH
04 Amherst College $116,250 9.8%
REACH
05 Barnard College $116,250 8.0%
REACH
06 Bowdoin College $116,250 8.0%
REACH
07 Brown University $116,250 5.2%
REACH
08 Colby College $116,250 6.8%
REACH
09 Columbia University $116,250 4.2%
REACH
10 Cornell University $116,250 8.2%
REACH
11 Dartmouth College $116,250 6.2%
REACH
12 Duke University $116,250 6.8%
REACH
13 Harvard University $116,250 3.5%
REACH
14 Johns Hopkins University $116,250 7.6%
REACH
15 New York University (NYU) $116,250 9.4%
REACH
16 Northeastern University $116,250 5.7%
REACH
17 Northwestern University $116,250 7.1%
REACH
18 Pomona College $116,250 6.8%
REACH
19 Princeton University $116,250 4.5%
REACH
20 Rice University $116,250 7.9%
REACH
21 Stanford University $116,250 3.9%
REACH
22 Swarthmore College $116,250 6.9%
REACH
23 UCLA $116,250 9.0%
REACH
24 University of Chicago $116,250 4.8%
REACH
25 University of Pennsylvania $116,250 5.9%
REACH
26 Vanderbilt University $116,250 6.3%
REACH
27 Williams College $116,250 10.0%
REACH
28 Yale University $116,250 4.5%
REACH
29 Georgia Tech $111,375 16.5%
MATCH
30 Boston University $108,750 10.8%
REACH

Computer Science Major FAQs

Which college has the highest Computer Science salary?
Caltech Computer Science graduates earn the highest median 4-year-out salary on this list, at $133,687. Salary by program is the most reliable signal for ROI on major choice.
What is the most competitive Computer Science program?
Caltech is the most selective school on this list with a 3.1% overall acceptance rate. Top programs in Computer Science often admit at significantly lower rates than the school-wide average.
Which colleges have an easier path to study Computer Science?
Among schools on this list, Georgia Tech is the most accessible at a 16.5% acceptance rate. Less selective schools can still produce strong Computer Science grads — what matters is fit, faculty, and your own work.
What GPA do I need for Computer Science programs?
GPA requirements vary widely. Reach schools (acceptance < 20%) typically expect 3.8+ unweighted GPAs with rigorous coursework. Match schools (20-50%) expect 3.3-3.7. Less selective schools may admit at 3.0+. Major-specific admission (engineering, CS, business) is often tougher than the school average.
Should I pick a school based on Computer Science ranking or overall prestige?
Major-specific salary outcomes beat overall school prestige for most career paths. A top program in Computer Science at a less famous school often outperforms a mid-tier program at a brand-name school. The salary table on this page ranks programs by what graduates actually earn, not by reputation surveys.
▎FROM THE DATA TO YOUR LIST

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Data source: IPEDS, College Scorecard.