Computer and Information Sciences, General: Colorado State University-Fort Collins vs The University of Alabama
Head-to-Head
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | The University of Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.8x | 19.1x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 8.3x | 6.8x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $51,584 | $47,600 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $78,856 | $83,651 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,122K | $909K |
| Median Debt | $21,569 | $21,992 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 3.3 months | 3.2 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 85/100 | 84/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 89.6% | 75.8% |
Both programs have very high AI automation risk (69% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates.
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | The University of Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $51,584 | $47,600 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $135,004 | $132,800 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $1,122K | $909K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.8x | 19.1x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 8.3x | 6.8x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +54% | +22% |
"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 and Information Sciences, General (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | The University of Alabama | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $1,178K | $1,122K | $823K | $946K | $909K | $703K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 22.8x | 21.8x | 16.0x | 19.9x | 19.1x | 14.8x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 86 | 85 | 73 | 86 | 84 | 72 |
For the full AI analysis of Computer and Information Sciences, General career paths, see the Colorado State University-Fort Collins or The University of Alabama program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Computer and Information Sciences, General 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% |