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<p>College graduates in the U.S. make average starting salaries of about $55,000—but, <a href="https://www.naceweb.org/job-market/compensation/salary-projections-for-class-of-2022-bachelors-grads-a-mixed-bag/">according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers</a>, computer science majors have the highest projected salaries for 2022 at more than $75,000. While that amount is nothing to sneeze at, <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/business/articles/2022/07/11/what-can-you-do-with-a-masters-in-computer-science-degree/">computer scientists who go on to earn their master’s degree</a> earn well into the six figures.</p><div class="paywall-selector"></div><div class="paywall">



<p>“The numbers show that this extra one-to-two years of study paves the way to a job which pays, on average, $30,000 more in an annual salary than those holding just an undergrad degree in computing, and, on average, $60,000 more for those transitioning from outside the field of computing,” Craig Gotsman, computer science professor and dean of the <a href="https://computing.njit.edu/">Ying Wu College of Computing</a> at the <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/new-jersey-institute-of-technology/">New Jersey Institute of Technology</a>, tells <em>Fortune. </em>NJIT is ranked by <em>Fortune </em>as having the <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-computer-science/">No. 5 online master’s degree program in computer science</a> in the U.S.</p>



<p>Among all <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-computer-science/">computer science master’s programs</a> in the U.S., the average starting salary is right around $100,000, <a href="https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Master_of_Science_(MS)%2C_Computer_Science_(CS)/Salary">according to PayScale</a>. Data from the <a href="https://www.naceweb.org/job-market/compensation/average-salary-for-masters-level-computer-science-grads-nears-100000/#:~:text=Graduates%20earning%20master's%20degrees%20in,at%20the%20master's%20degree%20level.">National Association of Colleges and Employers</a> shows that that’s the highest average starting salary at the master’s degree level. Students who graduate from top-ranked programs, however, can go on to make tens of thousands—if not $100,000—more. </p>



<p>“Annual salaries can be anywhere between $100,000 and $200,000, Gotsman adds. “After a few years in software development, you can move into team leadership and then into management roles.”</p>



<p><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/syracuse-university/">Syracuse University</a>, ranked as having the No. 3 online master’s in computer science program in the U.S. by <em>Fortune</em>, reports that many of its students are already making low-to-mid six-figure salaries before starting the program. Graduating from the master’s degree program will increase their pay to the upper $100,000 range, Jae C. Oh, <a href="https://ecs.syracuse.edu/academics/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science">Syracuse University’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science</a> department chair, tells <em>Fortune. </em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-jobs-computer-science-master-s-graduates-take">What jobs computer science master’s graduates take</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/university-of-idaho/">University of Idaho</a>, which <em>Fortune </em>ranks as having the No. 7 online master’s program in computer science, reports that its graduates make average starting base salaries of between $110,000 and $170,000. </p>



<p>Many graduates go on to systems-related and software-related roles including: computer and information systems manager, information security analyst, <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/business/articles/2022/01/27/how-to-become-a-software-engineer/">software engineer</a>, system validation engineer, systems analyst, and computer systems engineer or architect. Some of the school’s top computer science master’s employers include the <a href="https://www.defense.gov/">U.S. Department of Defense</a>, <a href="https://coins2day.com/company/intel/fortune500/">Intel</a>, <a href="https://coins2day.com/company/micron-technology/fortune500/">Micron Technology Inc.</a>, and <a href="https://coins2day.com/company/facebook/fortune500/">Facebook</a>.</p>



<p>“Whether you want to work at a technical company or build a career in academia, this program prepares you to contribute to the field of computer science in new and novel ways,” Alexiss Turner, a spokesperson for the <a href="https://www.uidaho.edu/engr">University of Idaho’s College of Engineering</a>, tells <em>Fortune. “</em>Students who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of opportunities and limitations of computers in problem solving and explore high-level concepts in <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-cybersecurity/">cybersecurity</a>, computational biology, and more, are encouraged to pursue this program.”</p>



<p><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/rice-university/">Rice University</a>, which <em>Fortune </em>ranks as having the No. 10 online master’s in computer science program, similarly reports its graduates go on to careers in software and data engineering. Rice students also pursue “high-demand, high-salary” jobs in machine learning, product management, and cybersecurity, with titles like senior technical product manager and machine learning software engineer, according to the school. </p>



<p>“Our students work hard to graduate from our rigorous program, and the hands-on portfolio projects they work on together aid in networking and the highly-competitive interview processes,” Scott Rixner, a professor of computer science at Rice, tells <em>Fortune. </em>These students are landing jobs at <a href="https://coins2day.com/company/amazon-com/fortune500/">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://coins2day.com/company/ibm/fortune500/#:~:text=RANK49&amp;text=IBM%20generated%20%2457.4%20billion%20in,from%20%2455.17%20billion%20in%202020.">IBM</a>, and <a href="https://coins2day.com/company/microsoft/fortune500/">Microsoft</a>, among other top companies, he adds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-return-on-investment">Return on investment</h2>



<p>An online master’s degree program in computer science can cost tens of thousands of dollars to complete. For example, <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/vanderbilt-university/">Vanderbilt University</a>, ranked No. 1 by <em>Fortune</em>, <a href="https://engineeringonline.vanderbilt.edu/admissions/computer-science-tuition-financial-aid/#:~:text=Tuition%20for%20the%202022%2D2023,least%20%2466%2C450%20in%20total%20tuition.">costs more than $66,000</a> in tuition alone. Syracuse’s program costs roughly $52,000 in total, but NJIT’s and <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/marshall-university/">Marshall University</a>‘s programs will set you back $21,000 and $10,000, respectively. </p>



<p>While these master’s programs can seem expensive, you’ll likely reap the rewards quickly after you graduate.</p>



<p>“An online master’s in computer science is worth the investment if it is from a reputable program and institution,” Paulus Wahjudi, professor and chair of <a href="https://www.marshall.edu/cecs/computer-sciences-electrical-engineering/">Marshall University’s Department of Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering</a>, tells <em>Fortune. </em>Marshall has the No. 6 online computer science master’s program in the U.S., according to <em>Fortune.</em> “The majority of graduates report a raise within six months of employment and/or bonuses at the end of the year.” </p>



<p><em>See how the schools you’re considering fared in Fortune’s rankings of the </em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-computer-science/"><em>best master’s in computer science programs</em></a><em>, <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-cybersecurity/">cybersecurity programs</a>, </em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/health/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-psychology-degree-programs/"><em>psychology programs</em></a><em>,</em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/public-health/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-public-health-programs/"><em> public health programs</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/business-analytics/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-business-analytics/"><em>business analytics programs</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/data-science/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-data-science/"><em>data science programs</em></a><em>, and </em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/business/mba/rankings/best-parttime-mba-programs-in-2022/"><em>part-time</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/business/mba/rankings/best-executive-mba-programs-in-2021/"><em>executive</em></a><em>,</em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/business/mba/rankings/best-mba-programs/"><em> full-time</em></a><em>, and </em><a href="https://coins2day.com/education/business/mba/rankings/best-online-mba-programs/"><em>online</em></a><em> MBA programs.</em></p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading pro-tip-box-heading">Read more</h3>



<li>Achieve your goal of becoming an expert in data science by choosing from our list of the <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/best-masters-in-data-science/">best masters in data science</a> programs.</li>
<li>Our ranking of the <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/best-online-masters-in-data-science/">best online data scientist masters programs</a> can help you find the program that best fits your schedule.</li>
<li>Getting a masters degree doesn’t have to break the bank. Here’s our list of the <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/most-affordable-masters-in-data-science/">most affordable data science masters degree programs</a>.</li>
<li>Regardless of how you scored on the GRE, you can still find an <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/best-online-masters-in-data-science/no-gre-required/">online data science masters program</a>.</li>
<li>Choose from our list of the <a href="https://coins2day.com/education/information-technology/best-online-masters-in-computer-science/">best online masters in computer science programs</a> to help you make your next career move.</li>
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Computer scientists who go on to earn their master’s degree in the field earn well into the six figures—sometimes even more than $200,000.

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HOW MUCH CAN YOU MAKE WITH AN ONLINE MASTER’S DEGREE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE?

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How much can you make with an online master’s degree in computer science?

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