Computer Science: North Carolina State University at Raleigh vs University of California-Berkeley

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
27.8x
$35,580 tuition
32.6x
$59,400 tuition
Out-of-State
7.8x
$127,068 tuition
10.6x
$182,508 tuition
$987,826 10-yr earnings · Public
$1,936,856 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

North Carolina State University at Raleigh University of California-Berkeley
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 27.8x 32.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.8x 10.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $35,580 $59,400
Year 1 Earnings $85,809 $149,866
10-Year Earnings $988K $1,937K
Median Debt $20,500 $13,750
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 2.9 months 1.1 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 85/100 86/100
Acceptance Rate 39.9% 11.7%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (72% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Computer Science graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Computer Science graduates.

North Carolina State University at Raleigh University of California-Berkeley
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $35,580 $59,400
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $127,068 $182,508
10-Year Projected Earnings $988K $1,937K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 27.8x 32.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.8x 10.6x
5-Year Salary Growth +30% +50%

"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 Science (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

North Carolina State University at Raleigh University of California-Berkeley
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,038K $988K $736K $2,082K $1,937K $1,255K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 29.2x 27.8x 20.7x 35.0x 32.6x 21.1x
DegreeWorth Score 87 85 74 88 86 77

For the full AI analysis of Computer Science career paths, see the North Carolina State University at Raleigh or University of California-Berkeley program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Computer Science graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$23,820
North Carolina State University at Raleigh saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$64,057/yr
University of California-Berkeley grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
27.8x / 32.6x
Out-of-state: 7.8x / 10.6x

Career Paths

Computer 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%
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%
Software quality assurance analysts and testers $102,610 14,000 +10.0% 88%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Computer Science: North Carolina State University at Raleigh or University of California-Berkeley?
North Carolina State University at Raleigh scores 85/100 while University of California-Berkeley scores 86/100. North Carolina State University at Raleigh has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Computer Science?
North Carolina State University at Raleigh has an in-state earnings multiple of 27.8x vs University of California-Berkeley's 32.6x. That means University of California-Berkeley grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $23,820 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do North Carolina State University at Raleigh and University of California-Berkeley compare on Computer Science earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $85,809 at North Carolina State University at Raleigh vs $149,866 at University of California-Berkeley. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $987,826 vs $1,936,856 — a difference of $949,030.
How much does Computer Science cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $35,580 at North Carolina State University at Raleigh and $59,400 at University of California-Berkeley. Median debt at graduation is $20,500 vs $13,750. Both programs lead to the same Computer Science 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.