Computer Programming
Students study software development languages, coding methodologies, debugging techniques, and application development for web, mobile, and desktop platforms. Graduates typically pursue careers as software developers, web developers, application programmers, and QA engineers at technology companies and corporate IT departments. Programming skills are among the most marketable in today's economy, with strong starting salaries.
What Computer Programming graduates do
Your day won’t be spent just writing code in a quiet room. As a software developer, the most common path, you’ll spend your morning in a team stand-up meeting, then dive into debugging a stubborn payment bug or collaborating with a designer to build a new user interface. You might also start as a software QA analyst, where your job is to be the expert at breaking the code your colleagues just wrote, finding its weaknesses before customers do. As you gain experience, you’ll move from fixing bugs to architecting entire systems.
While demand for software developers is growing rapidly, the classic "computer programmer" title is shrinking, and you need to know why. AI is fundamentally reshaping these roles. With extremely high AI exposure, tools now handle much of the routine coding that junior developers once did, meaning fewer entry-level jobs focused purely on writing lines of code. Your future value lies not in typing, but in designing complex systems, skillfully directing and evaluating AI-generated output, and making the critical judgment calls that machines cannot.
Students weighing Computer Programming often also consider Computer Science, Computer Systems Analysis, and Information Science — compare earnings, ROI, and AI outlook side by side.
Where Computer Programming graduates work
Common career paths for Computer Programming graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 162,300 combined openings per year across these roles.
| Role | Median Pay | Annual Openings | 10-yr Growth | AI Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Software developers
|
$133,080
$103K–$169K
|
115,200 | +15.8% | Very High · 87% |
|
Software quality assurance analysts and testers
|
$102,610
$80K–$132K
|
14,000 | +10.0% | Very High · 88% |
|
Computer programmers
|
$98,670
$72K–$129K
|
5,500 | -6.0% | Very High · 95% |
|
Web and digital interface designers
|
$98,090
$65K–$142K
|
9,100 | +7.0% | High · 67% |
|
Computer science teachers, postsecondary
|
$96,690
$65K–$132K
|
3,500 | +5.3% | High · 51% |
|
Web developers
|
$90,930
$63K–$124K
|
5,400 | +7.5% | Very High · 93% |
|
Computer network support specialists
|
$73,340
$57K–$96K
|
9,600 | +1.8% | High · 63% |
Best schools for Computer Programming
Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 31.
| # | School | DW Score | 1-yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
Herzing University-Birmingham
Birmingham, AL · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 6 |
Herzing University-Atlanta
Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 7 |
Herzing University-Minneapolis
St. Louis Park, MN · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 8 |
Herzing University-Akron
Akron, OH · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 9 |
Herzing University-Madison
Madison, WI · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 10 |
Herzing University-Orlando
Winter Park, FL · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 11 |
Herzing University-New Orleans
Metairie, LA · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 12 |
Herzing University-Kenosha
Kenosha, WI · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 13 |
Herzing University-Brookfield
Brookfield, WI · Private nonprofit
|
71 | $50,242 | 14.4x |
| 14 |
New England Institute of Technology
East Greenwich, RI · Private nonprofit
|
70 | $72,595 | 5.6x |
| 15 |
DePaul University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit
|
69 | $72,234 | 4.4x |
| 16 |
Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, NY · Public
|
69 | $45,383 | 19.4x |
| 17 |
Full Sail University
Winter Park, FL · Private for-profit
|
68 | $67,539 | 6.8x |
| 18 |
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA · Public
|
68 | $42,668 | 29.5x |
| 19 |
Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS · Public
|
67 | $57,162 | 24.4x |
| 20 |
ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA · Private for-profit
|
65 | $49,614 | 9.3x |
Highest Earnings Top 5
| DigiPen Institute of Technology
WA |
$102,580 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology
NY |
$83,875 |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn
MI |
$80,830 |
| Elon University
NC |
$79,819 |
| University of Phoenix-Arizona
AZ |
$74,151 |
Best ROI Top 5
| Kennesaw State University
GA |
29.5x |
| Fort Hays State University
KS |
24.4x |
| Bellevue University
NE |
21.3x |
| Farmingdale State College
NY |
19.4x |
| University of Phoenix-Arizona
AZ |
19.3x |
Related majors
Similar fields of study often offered alongside Computer Programming.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Computer Programming offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Computer Programming trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Computer Programming
How much do Computer Programming graduates earn?
First-year earnings for Computer Programming graduates average $59,150 annually, based on data from 31 programs. The range spans $35,551 at the low end to $102,580 at the top.
Will AI affect Computer Programming careers?
Computer Programming is rated "Very High" for AI automation risk, with 64% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means most career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.
Where should I study Computer Programming?
University of Michigan-Dearborn leads all 31 programs with a DegreeOutlook Score of 82/100. Graduates earn $80,830/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.
What's the outlook for a Computer Programming degree?
Typical graduates earn 11.9 times what they paid in tuition within a decade. This is a strong return on investment. Look at per-school ROI in the table above — averages can mask significant variation.