Computer and Information Sciences, General: Colorado State University-Fort Collins vs University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
21.8x
$51,584 tuition
19.3x
$68,912 tuition
Out-of-State
8.3x
$135,004 tuition
5.7x
$232,288 tuition
$1,122,234 10-yr earnings · Public
$1,331,512 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Colorado State University-Fort Collins University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 21.8x 19.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.3x 5.7x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $51,584 $68,912
Year 1 Earnings $78,856 $113,634
10-Year Earnings $1,122K $1,332K
Median Debt $21,569 $19,475
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 3.3 months 2.1 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 85/100 84/100
Acceptance Rate 89.6% 17.9%

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 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $51,584 $68,912
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $135,004 $232,288
10-Year Projected Earnings $1,122K $1,332K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 21.8x 19.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.3x 5.7x
5-Year Salary Growth +54% +35%

"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 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,178K $1,122K $823K $1,405K $1,332K $942K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 22.8x 21.8x 16.0x 20.4x 19.3x 13.7x
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 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$17,328
Colorado State University-Fort Collins saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$34,778/yr
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
21.8x / 19.3x
Out-of-state: 8.3x / 5.7x

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%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Computer and Information Sciences, General: Colorado State University-Fort Collins or University of Michigan-Ann Arbor?
Colorado State University-Fort Collins scores 85/100 while University of Michigan-Ann Arbor scores 84/100. Colorado State University-Fort Collins has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Computer and Information Sciences, General?
Colorado State University-Fort Collins has an in-state earnings multiple of 21.8x vs University of Michigan-Ann Arbor's 19.3x. That means Colorado State University-Fort Collins grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Colorado State University-Fort Collins and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor compare on Computer and Information Sciences, General earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $78,856 at Colorado State University-Fort Collins vs $113,634 at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $1,122,234 vs $1,331,512 — a difference of $209,278.
How much does Computer and Information Sciences, General cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $51,584 at Colorado State University-Fort Collins and $68,912 at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Median debt at graduation is $21,569 vs $19,475. Both programs lead to the same Computer and Information Sciences, General career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.