Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 11.09. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 995 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 464 | 10,031 | $40,930 | $50,162 | $11,687 25 programs |
| Associate's degree | 375 | 3,086 | $46,926 | $54,971 | $24,083 43 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 89 | 1,165 | $59,944 | $73,587 | $25,250 33 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 40 | 531 | $85,839 | $114,420 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 2 | 4 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 23 | 217 | $77,259 | $92,103 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pikes Peak State College CO · Public · 21 graduates measured | $51,858 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Dallas College TX · Public · 29 graduates measured | $50,580 | $60,993 | $9,277 |
| Front Range Community College CO · Public · 27 graduates measured | $49,055 | $64,044 | $17,650 |
| P C Age-Jersey City NJ · Private, for-profit · 215 graduates measured | $48,368 | $56,403 | $13,000 |
| PC AGE-Metropark NJ · Private, for-profit · 215 graduates measured | $48,368 | $56,403 | $13,000 |
| Emily Griffith Technical College CO · Public · 21 graduates measured | $47,545 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Austin Community College District TX · Public · 40 graduates measured | $47,207 | $56,520 | $16,293 |
| Saint Louis Community College MO · Public · 23 graduates measured | $44,505 | $47,850 | Data unavailable |
| CyberTex Institute of Technology TX · Private, for-profit · 52 graduates measured | $43,189 | $47,754 | $7,917 |
| MyComputerCareer at Columbus OH · Private, for-profit · 2898 graduates measured | $41,580 | $51,632 | $9,500 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Iselin NJ · Private, for-profit · 347 graduates measured | $41,311 | $48,146 | $11,687 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Moorestown NJ · Private, for-profit · 347 graduates measured | $41,311 | $48,146 | $11,687 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Paramus NJ · Private, for-profit · 347 graduates measured | $41,311 | $48,146 | $11,687 |
| DSDT MI · Private, for-profit · 86 graduates measured | $40,790 | Data unavailable | $10,835 |
| Hinds Community College MS · Public · 23 graduates measured | $40,610 | Data unavailable | $15,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Ford College MI · Public · 16 graduates measured | $56,143 | $61,938 | Data unavailable |
| Dallas College TX · Public · 38 graduates measured | $55,699 | $62,305 | Data unavailable |
| Waukesha County Technical College WI · Public · 20 graduates measured | $55,414 | $71,538 | Data unavailable |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College WI · Public · 36 graduates measured | $54,437 | $54,737 | $21,798 |
| Bismarck State College ND · Public · 18 graduates measured | $52,967 | Data unavailable | $19,178 |
| Austin Community College District TX · Public · 82 graduates measured | $52,904 | $68,934 | $18,000 |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College MN · Public · 23 graduates measured | $52,443 | Data unavailable | $11,000 |
| Harrisburg Area Community College PA · Public · 19 graduates measured | $52,269 | Data unavailable | $15,748 |
| Delaware County Community College PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $52,183 | $55,189 | Data unavailable |
| Fox Valley Technical College WI · Public · 20 graduates measured | $51,906 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Front Range Community College CO · Public · 27 graduates measured | $51,503 | $66,078 | $19,359 |
| South Puget Sound Community College WA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $51,113 | $65,707 | Data unavailable |
| Sinclair Community College OH · Public · 18 graduates measured | $50,939 | $74,999 | $13,375 |
| DeVry College of New York NY · Private, for-profit · 77 graduates measured | $50,027 | $58,586 | $27,625 |
| DeVry University-Arizona AZ · Private, for-profit · 77 graduates measured | $50,027 | $58,586 | $27,625 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weber State University UT · Public · 22 graduates measured | $84,786 | $97,957 | Data unavailable |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology MA · Private, nonprofit · 57 graduates measured | $83,433 | $111,413 | $20,750 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN · Public · 61 graduates measured | $74,751 | $100,554 | $16,824 |
| Utah Valley University UT · Public · 43 graduates measured | $73,382 | $97,341 | $15,004 |
| University of Akron Main Campus OH · Public · 38 graduates measured | $73,315 | $74,385 | $15,500 |
| DePaul University IL · Private, nonprofit · 45 graduates measured | $68,263 | $91,007 | $26,158 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout WI · Public · 51 graduates measured | $67,613 | $77,269 | $19,750 |
| DeVry College of New York NY · Private, for-profit · 169 graduates measured | $65,000 | $73,884 | $51,954 |
| DeVry University-Arizona AZ · Private, for-profit · 169 graduates measured | $65,000 | $73,884 | $51,954 |
| DeVry University-California CA · Private, for-profit · 169 graduates measured | $65,000 | $73,884 | $51,954 |
| DeVry University-Florida FL · Private, for-profit · 169 graduates measured | $65,000 | $73,884 | $51,954 |
| DeVry University-Georgia GA · Private, for-profit · 169 graduates measured | $65,000 | $73,884 | $51,954 |
| DeVry University-Illinois IL · Private, for-profit · 169 graduates measured | $65,000 | $73,884 | $51,954 |
| DeVry University-Nevada NV · Private, for-profit · 169 graduates measured | $65,000 | $73,884 | $51,954 |
| DeVry University-New Jersey NJ · Private, for-profit · 169 graduates measured | $65,000 | $73,884 | $51,954 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Carolina University NC · Public · 27 graduates measured | $114,965 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| DePaul University IL · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $84,344 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Arizona AZ · Private, for-profit · 137 graduates measured | $81,118 | $92,609 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-California CA · Private, for-profit · 137 graduates measured | $81,118 | $92,609 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Florida FL · Private, for-profit · 137 graduates measured | $81,118 | $92,609 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Georgia GA · Private, for-profit · 137 graduates measured | $81,118 | $92,609 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Illinois IL · Private, for-profit · 137 graduates measured | $81,118 | $92,609 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Nevada NV · Private, for-profit · 137 graduates measured | $81,118 | $92,609 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Ohio OH · Private, for-profit · 137 graduates measured | $81,118 | $92,609 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Virginia VA · Private, for-profit · 137 graduates measured | $81,118 | $92,609 | Data unavailable |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro NC · Public · 47 graduates measured | $78,352 | $120,866 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeVry College of New York NY · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Arizona AZ · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-California CA · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Florida FL · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Georgia GA · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Illinois IL · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Ohio OH · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Texas TX · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
| DeVry University-Virginia VA · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $72,866 | $91,271 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information systems managers | $175,140 | +15.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer systems analysts | $105,850 | +7.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Information security analysts | $129,180 | +21.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer and information research scientists | $140,300 | +21.8% | Master's degree |
| Computer network support specialists | $76,220 | +1.2% | Associate's degree |
| Computer network architects | $134,050 | +7.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Database architects | $139,500 | +9.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer programmers | $100,390 | -7.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Software developers | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer science teachers, postsecondary | $96,980 | +4.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (3)
- 11.0901 Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
- 11.0902 Cloud Computing
- 11.0999 Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Other