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2023 Best Value Colleges for General Computer & Information Sciences (Income $0-$30k)

325 Ranked Colleges
51,681 Degrees Awarded
$4,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 51,681 people earned their degree in general computer and information sciences, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 325 colleges that offered a degree in general computer and information sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general computer and information sciences programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general computer and information sciences program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Computer & Information Sciences (Income $0-$30k)

1
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 325 schools in the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 451 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UPenn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UPenn is $580 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full University of Pennsylvania General Computer & Information Sciences Report

2
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Out of the 325 schools in the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Yale University landed the #2 spot on the list. New Haven, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s computer and information sciences degrees to 135 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Yale, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Yale University is $961 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at Yale

3
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brown University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Brown University is a fairly large school located in Providence, Rhode Island that handed out 40 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Brown has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,468 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brown.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Brown University General Computer & Information Sciences Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s computer and information sciences degrees to 946 students in 2020-2021.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

5
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johns Hopkins University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Johns Hopkins is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 451 ’s computer and information sciences degrees to qualified students.

Johns Hopkins also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins University is $2,084 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Computer & Information Sciences at Johns Hopkins

6
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Rice University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 293 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Rice has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rice University is $4,443 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at Rice

7
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 93 diplomas to qualified ’s computer and information sciences students in 2020-2021.

Harvard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Harvard is $2,564 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at Harvard

8

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s computer and information sciences degrees to 1,011 students in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $3,981 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at UW - Madison

9
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 656 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also made our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $65 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UF General Computer & Information Sciences Report

10
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. MIT is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

MIT also made our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $5,193 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MIT.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full MIT General Computer & Information Sciences Report

11
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #11, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 21 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Cornell also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell University is $5,244 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Cornell University General Computer & Information Sciences Report

12

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s computer and information sciences degrees to 2,866 students in 2020-2021.

Georgia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Tech is $8,818 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus General Computer & Information Sciences Report

13

University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 180 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $5,194 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

14
Swarthmore crest
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #14, Swarthmore College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Swarthmore is a private not-for-profit institution located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Swarthmore, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Swarthmore College is $4,594 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at Swarthmore College

15
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school handed out 333 degrees to qualified ’s computer and information sciences students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also made our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia is $12,476 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Computer & Information Sciences at University of Virginia

16

Metropolitan Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Metropolitan Community College is a fairly large school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 132 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, MCC also did well on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend MCC is $3,325 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at Metropolitan Community College

17
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s computer and information sciences degrees to 277 students in 2020-2021.

Florida State excels when it comes to computer and information sciences quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. It costs about $4,950 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full Florida State General Computer & Information Sciences Report

18

Columbia University in the City of New York came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s computer and information sciences degrees to 489 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $9,873 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Computer & Information Sciences at Columbia University in the City of New York

19

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. USF Tampa is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 140 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, USF Tampa also did well on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend USF Tampa is $4,176 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Computer & Information Sciences at USF Tampa

20
Wellesley crest
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wellesley College is a small school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts that handed out 44 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Wellesley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. It costs about $9,674 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wellesley.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at Wellesley

21
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 328 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Michigan State is also in the top of our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,927 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Computer & Information Sciences at Michigan State University

22

Austin Community College District did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Austin Community College District is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 157 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $3,264 for Computer and Information Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Austin Community College District.

Read full report on General Computer & Information Sciences at Austin Community College District

23
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, Indiana

Ivy Tech Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 256 ’s computer and information sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Ivy Tech Community College also did well on our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $6,213 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ivy Tech Community College.

Full Ivy Tech Community College General Computer & Information Sciences Report

24

Brigham Young University - Idaho came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Rexburg, Idaho, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 119 diplomas to qualified ’s computer and information sciences students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $2,073 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend BYU - I.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Computer & Information Sciences at Brigham Young University - Idaho

25
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Virginia Tech is a public institution located in Blacksburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 488 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Virginia Tech has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best General Computer & Information Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $11,934 for computer and information sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Tech General Computer & Information Sciences Report

Rest of the Best 49 in Best Value Computer and Information Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts
28
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York
29
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia
30
31
32
Salt Lake Community College crest
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake City, Utah
33
34
35
Middlesex Community College crest
Middlesex Community College
Bedford, Massachusetts
36
CNM crest
Central New Mexico Community College
Albuquerque, New Mexico
37
URichmond crest
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, Virginia
38
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York
39
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky
40
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42
NECC crest
Northern Essex Community College
Haverhill, Massachusetts
43
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49

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References

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