Computer Scienceat Lake Forest College
Graduates earn $48,587/yr in their first year — about 34.0% below the national Computer Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $540K; scenarios range from $491K to $544K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Lake Forest College
While located near Chicago's tech scene, Lake Forest is a small liberal arts college, not a large research university with a dedicated engineering school. This means your computer science education will be grounded in theory and interdisciplinary thinking, which builds a strong long-term foundation but may not directly translate to the high-paying, specialized software engineering roles that drive up averages. Graduates often land in IT support, data analysis, or tech consulting roles at local Chicago-area companies rather than competing for elite developer positions at FAANG or high-frequency trading firms. The recruiting pipeline is simply different. To boost your prospects, you must be proactive: aggressively pursue specialized coding bootcamps during your summers and build a strong portfolio of personal projects to prove your practical skills to top-tier employers.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Lake Forest College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Computer Science
How Lake Forest College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Lake Forest College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Lake Forest College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Computer Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Computer Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Computer Science at Lake Forest College
What does a 53/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Computer Science at Lake Forest College?
At 53/100, the score looks reasonable — but Computer Science is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.
Should I worry about AI if I study Computer Science at Lake Forest College?
The 72% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.
Is Lake Forest College a good choice for Computer Science despite lower starting pay?
Starting salary is one data point. If Lake Forest College's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.