By Phong Ngo April 23, 2026 | 04:37 pm PT
Computer science major offers the highest return on investment for U.S. grads at 2,899.45%, driven by strong earnings and relatively low debt, according to a recent report.
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Computer science students at Stanford University in the U.S. Photo courtesy of Stanford |
Return on investment (ROI) measures the gain relative to the cost of an investment. Financial site Investopedia calculated its recent ranking of majors using data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Education Data Initiative to estimate how much graduates earn compared with the debt they repay.
The median student loan borrowing amount for a computer science major is about $23,184.
If repaid over 10 years at a 6.39% interest rate, total repayments reach $31,434. Compared with estimated 10-year earnings of $942,860, this results in a profit of $911,426, the analysis shows.
By comparison, the average college graduate earns about $612,241 over a decade after accounting for student debt payments.
Technology and engineering fields dominate the rankings, with five majors in the top 10. Chemical engineering, computer engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering each record returns exceeding 2,400%.
At the other end of the spectrum, theology and religion majors post the lowest ROI at 842.83%.
The ranking does not factor in unemployment rates, which remain elevated for some fields.
|
Rank |
Degree |
Total wages after 10 years |
Total student debt repaid (10 years) |
ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Computer Science |
$942,860 |
$31,434 |
2,899.45% |
|
2 |
Economics |
$825,003 |
$29,201 |
2,725.22% |
|
3 |
Chemical Engineering |
$942,860 |
$33,605 |
2,705.70% |
|
4 |
Computer Engineering |
$942,860 |
$33,918 |
2,679.79% |
|
5 |
General Business |
$707,145 |
$26,506 |
2,567.88% |
|
6 |
Industrial Engineering |
$895,717 |
$34,077 |
2,528.51% |
|
7 |
Physics |
$825,003 |
$32,112 |
2,469.11% |
|
8 |
Finance |
$825,003 |
$32,153 |
2,465.86% |
|
9 |
Mechanical Engineering |
$883,932 |
$34,568 |
2,457.09% |
|
10 |
International Affairs |
$707,145 |
$28,066 |
2,419.54% |
Separate data points to continued demand for computer science graduates.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers projected in its January salary survey that they will command the highest starting salaries for the class of 2026, averaging about $81,535, up nearly 7% year-on-year.
Computer science is also ranked as the third most sought-after major, behind finance and mechanical engineering.
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