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Computer Science at Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
78 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
79
Optimistic
78
Base Case
71
Pessimistic
Earnings $86,749/yr (18% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (72% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (295,800 openings/yr)
ROI 5.4x earnings multiple
Ranked #167 of 345 Computer Science programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Computer Science graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $1,559K $1,462K $995K
Earnings Multiple 5.8x 5.4x 3.7x
Probability of Field Employment 80% 73% 40%
DegreeOutlook Score 79 78 71

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$270,720
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$159,464
41% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,000
2.5 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$155,305
79% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $86,749/yr, edging above the $73,713 national average for Computer Science — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

At 5.4x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI exposure is significant at 72% of job tasks, producing a 36% spread between best and worst-case decade earnings. The field isn't immune to disruption.

At $18,000 in median debt against $86,749 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #167 out of 345 programs, Boston College's Computer Science offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $86,749 to $155,305 over five years (79% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Boston College

Boston College admits 16% of applicants, placing it among selective institutions, with a mid-sized student body of 9,865 in Chestnut Hill, MA. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $159,464 — 41% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Boston College →

Top Career Paths

Computer and information systems managers $171,200/yr
Computer and information research scientists $140,910/yr
Database architects $135,980/yr
View all 13 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 345 schools offering Computer Science →

Computer Science at Other Schools

California Institute of Technology ($173,344) Carnegie Mellon University ($171,264) Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($154,492) Cornell University ($152,656) Harvard University ($152,251) Brown University ($151,065) University of California-Berkeley ($149,866) Princeton University ($146,624)

Other Majors at Boston College

Finance and Financial Management Services ($82,495) Information Science/Studies ($80,731) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($80,046) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($78,934) Accounting and Related Services ($75,512) Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations ($74,446) Mathematics ($74,144) Economics ($72,099)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Computer Science trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Boston College's Computer Science program score?
A score of 78/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Boston College's Computer Science graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Computer Science to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Computer Science careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 72% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →