Computer & Information Science: Colorado State University-Fort Collins vs South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Head-to-Head
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 17.3x | 19.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 6.6x | 13.8x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $51,584 | $41,600 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $78,856 | $78,193 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $894K | $817K |
| Median Debt | $21,569 | $27,000 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 3.3 months | 4.1 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 88/100 | 89/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 89.6% | 85.2% |
Both programs have very high AI automation risk (69% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Computer & Information Science graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Computer & Information Science graduates.
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $51,584 | $41,600 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $135,004 | $59,200 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $894K | $817K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 17.3x | 19.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 6.6x | 13.8x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +54% | +32% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Computer & Information Science (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,345K | $894K | $488K | $1,095K | $817K | $484K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 26.1x | 17.3x | 9.5x | 26.3x | 19.6x | 11.6x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 91 | 88 | 76 | 91 | 89 | 78 |
For the full AI analysis of Computer & Information Science career paths, see the Colorado State University-Fort Collins or South Dakota School of Mines and Technology program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Computer & Information Science graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Computer & Information Science graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information systems managers | $171,200 | 55,600 | +15.2% | 53% |
| Computer and information research scientists | $140,910 | 3,200 | +19.7% | 63% |
| Database architects | $135,980 | 4,000 | +8.7% | 94% |
| Software developers | $133,080 | 115,200 | +15.8% | 87% |
| Computer network architects | $130,390 | 11,200 | +11.9% | 61% |
| Information security analysts | $124,910 | 16,000 | +28.5% | 65% |
| Data scientists | $112,590 | 23,400 | +33.5% | 64% |
| Computer occupations, all other | $108,970 | 31,300 | +8.2% | 57% |