New York · Computer Science

Best colleges for Computer Science in New York

Ranked by graduate earnings

Cornell University, Columbia University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are the top bachelor's Computer Science programs in New York by graduate earnings. Cornell University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $152,656, College Scorecard. Cornell University, Columbia University and Stony Brook University award the most Computer Science degrees in New York: 910, 877 and 636 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 79 New York colleges offer Computer Science and award 7,612 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Computer Science program focuses on the study of computation, information, and automation. This field encompasses both theoretical and applied disciplines, making it suitable for individuals interested in technology and…

Institutions
79
offering CIP 11.07
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
7,612
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$83,258
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
21
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,675
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
51%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Computer and Information Research Scientists
$203,370
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Cornell University
Ithaca Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$152,65691095%$17,613$14,698
2Columbia University
New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$118,63687796%$15,315$20,397
3Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$104,94331784%$28,900$23,250
4University of Rochester
Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$99,87821685%$25,874$19,000
5Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$94,61136370%$28,133$27,000
6CUNY City College
New York Public · Bachelor's degree
$83,25810657%—$8,623
7Binghamton University
Vestal Public · Bachelor's degree
$82,32938082%—$19,500
8Colgate University
Hamilton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$79,9297191%$22,903$16,000
9Clarkson University
Potsdam Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$79,7446775%$27,281$25,990
10CUNY Hunter College
New York Public · Bachelor's degree
$76,74734657%—$8,250

Top certificate or associate program

Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1CUNY LaGuardia Community College
Long Island City Public · Associate degree
$24,88813924%—$8,750

Colleges awarding the most Computer Science degrees in New York

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Cornell University
Ithaca Private not-for-profit
910$152,656
2Columbia University
New York Private not-for-profit
877$118,636
3Stony Brook University
Stony Brook Public
636Not reported
4Pace University
New York Private not-for-profit
529$60,551
5Binghamton University
Vestal Public
380$82,329
6Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Private not-for-profit
363$94,611
7CUNY Hunter College
New York Public
346$76,747
8University at Buffalo
Buffalo Public
344$72,283
9Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy Private not-for-profit
317$104,943
10University at Albany
Albany Public
266Not reported
Show the other 69 New York colleges offering Computer Science
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
University of RochesterRochesterPrivate not-for-profit216
CUNY Queens CollegeQueensPublic198
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeNew YorkPublic176
CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island CityPublic139
Monroe UniversityBronxPrivate for-profit112
SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUticaPublic112
College of Staten Island CUNYStaten IslandPublic110
CUNY City CollegeNew YorkPublic106
CUNY Lehman CollegeBronxPublic101
Farmingdale State CollegeFarmingdalePublic79
CUNY Queensborough Community CollegeBaysidePublic77
Barnard CollegeNew YorkPrivate not-for-profit72
Colgate UniversityHamiltonPrivate not-for-profit71
Clarkson UniversityPotsdamPrivate not-for-profit67
Touro UniversityNew YorkPrivate not-for-profit65
Hofstra UniversityHempsteadPrivate not-for-profit64
Marist UniversityPoughkeepsiePrivate not-for-profit54
CUNY New York City College of TechnologyBrooklynPublic48
CUNY York CollegeJamaicaPublic42
Suffolk County Community CollegeSeldenPublic36
SUNY BrockportBrockportPublic34
CUNY Brooklyn CollegeBrooklynPublic33
Onondaga Community CollegeSyracusePublic32
Ithaca CollegeIthacaPrivate not-for-profit30
CUNY Kingsborough Community CollegeBrooklynPublic29
State University of New York at OswegoOswegoPublic29
SUNY Westchester Community CollegeValhallaPublic29
Erie Community CollegeBuffaloPublic26
Monroe Community CollegeRochesterPublic26
St. Joseph's University - New YorkBrooklynPrivate not-for-profit22
State University of New York at PlattsburghPlattsburghPublic22
Dutchess Community CollegePoughkeepsiePublic21
Mercy UniversityDobbs FerryPrivate not-for-profit21
Nassau Community CollegeGarden CityPublic21
CUNY Bronx Community CollegeBronxPublic20
CUNY Hostos Community CollegeBronxPublic18
CUNY Graduate School and University Center (Online)New YorkPublic17
Finger Lakes Community CollegeCanandaiguaPublic17
Iona UniversityNew RochellePrivate not-for-profit17
SUNY at FredoniaFredoniaPublic16
SUNY OneontaOneontaPublic16
Ulster County Community CollegeStone RidgePublic16
CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeBrooklynPublic14
SUNY Broome Community CollegeBinghamtonPublic12
Jamestown Community CollegeJamestownPublic12
Long Island UniversityBrookvillePrivate not-for-profit11
Schenectady County Community CollegeSchenectadyPublic11
Orange County Community CollegeMiddletownPublic10
SUNY College at PotsdamPotsdamPublic10
Wagner CollegeStaten IslandPrivate not-for-profit10
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew YorkPublic9
Mohawk Valley Community CollegeUticaPublic9
Niagara County Community CollegeSanbornPublic9
SUNY AdirondackQueensburyPublic8
Jefferson Community CollegeWatertownPublic8
St. Thomas Aquinas CollegeSparkillPrivate not-for-profit8
Columbia-Greene Community CollegeHudsonPublic7
Fulton-Montgomery Community CollegeJohnstownPublic7
Canisius UniversityBuffaloPrivate not-for-profit6
Herkimer County Community CollegeHerkimerPublic5
SUNY Corning Community CollegeCorningPublic4
Simon's Rock at Bard CollegeBarrytownPrivate not-for-profit3
Alfred UniversityAlfredPrivate not-for-profit3
Tompkins Cortland Community CollegeDrydenPublic3
Manhattanville UniversityPurchasePrivate not-for-profit2
St Bonaventure UniversitySaint BonaventurePrivate not-for-profit2
Siena UniversityLoudonvillePrivate not-for-profit2
Roberts Wesleyan UniversityRochesterPrivate not-for-profit1
SUNY College of Technology at AlfredAlfredPublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+19.7%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~3,200
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$140,910
typically Master's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingActive LearningMathematics

What Computer and Information Research Scientists earn in New York

Jobs in New York
1,950
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$203,370
median $181,990
Best-paying metro
$194,390
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Related careers

Software Developers
$163,820 avg · 113,510 jobs
Computer and Information Systems Managers
$223,590 avg · 48,050 jobs
Data Scientists
$137,690 avg · 23,970 jobs
Web and Digital Interface Designers
$129,990 avg · 16,560 jobs
Computer Occupations, All Other
$125,080 avg · 11,460 jobs
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
$122,950 avg · 10,460 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Computer Science programs in New York.

Which New York colleges award the most Computer Science degrees?+

Cornell University (910 graduates a year), Columbia University (877 graduates a year) and Stony Brook University (636 graduates a year) award the most Computer Science degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 79 New York colleges offer Computer Science.

What is the best college for Computer Science in New York?+

By graduate earnings, Cornell University leads among bachelor's Computer Science programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $152,656, College Scorecard. Columbia University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute follow. By degrees awarded, Cornell University is the largest, with 910 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Computer Science program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Cornell University tops the list at $152,656. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Computer and Information Research Scientists earn in New York?+

The average annual wage for Computer and Information Research Scientists in New York is $203,370 (median $181,990), across about 1,950 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Computer Science program?+

The Computer Science program focuses on the study of computation, information, and automation. This field encompasses both theoretical and applied disciplines, making it suitable for individuals interested in technology and…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Computer and Information Research Scientists?+

The national job outlook is about +19.7% growth with around 3,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card