CSE 2025, Employment Overview Part 1
Difficulty: Introductory | Prerequisites: None
ASU computer science graduates earn a median starting salary of roughly $100k, making CS the highest-paying major at the university. 86% of Fulton School engineering graduates had jobs or offers within six months of finishing. The broader U.S. job market for CS and computer engineering remains strong, with AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and semiconductor roles leading demand.
Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
The overarching engineering college at Arizona State University. Houses multiple schools, including SCAI. Median starting salary across all its programmes is $78,000.
School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence (SCAI)
ASU's dedicated computing school within Fulton. Backed by eight research centres covering AI, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, and more. Think of it as the CS-specific arm of a broader engineering college.
College Scorecard
A federal data tool run by the U.S. Department of Education. Reports earnings, debt, and completion rates by institution and programme. The $99,911 CS median comes from here.
ONET
The Occupational Information Network, maintained by the U.S. Department of Labor. Provides national median salary data by role (e.g. Computer Scientist at $140,910). In simple terms, it is the government's standard reference for what different jobs pay.
Debt-to-earnings ratio
Annual loan payments divided by annual earnings. ASU reports $0.29, meaning graduates pay roughly 29 cents in debt service for every dollar earned. Lower is better.
ROI (Return on Investment)
How much extra earning power a degree delivers relative to its cost. ASU sits at the 83.7th percentile nationally, meaning it outperforms about 84% of comparable institutions.
CHIPS Act
U.S. federal legislation (2022) directing funding toward domestic semiconductor manufacturing. Relevant because it is driving increased demand for hardware and embedded-systems engineers, particularly in Arizona where Intel and other chip manufacturers operate.
86% employment or offer rate within six months of graduation (Fulton Schools overall)
16% of graduates accepted into graduate programmes (MSCS, MSE, etc.)
46% of students complete at least one internship, research project, or practicum before graduating
ASU ranks 13th nationally for employer-student connection strength (Niche)
Students who complete internships and research see higher employment rates and pay after graduation
The SCAI Industry Advisory Board includes Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, and General Dynamics, which feed directly into career fairs, on-campus sessions, and intern pipelines.
About 25.5% of ASU alumni continue to graduate school or professional training. Common CS graduate paths include MS in Computer Science, MS in Software Engineering, MS in Cybersecurity, MS in Robotics or AI, and doctoral work in machine learning.
ASU computer science graduates earn a median of $99,911 at graduation, making CS the highest-paying major at the university. The median for all Fulton School engineering graduates is $78,000. After ten years, alumni across all ASU majors reach $62,668 in median earnings, but CS graduates start well above that figure and continue to grow.
National median salaries for common computing roles (ONET data):
Role | Median Salary |
|---|---|
Computer Scientist | $140,910 |
Telecommunications Engineering Specialist | $130,390 |
Information Security Analyst | $124,910 |
Computer Systems Architect | $108,970 |
Database Administrator | $104,620 |
Software Developer / Programmer | $98,670 |
CS majors out-earn students in engineering and business at ASU. The ASU-specific CS figure ($99,911) sits above the national median for software developers ($98,670), which is notable given that national figures include graduates from all institutions.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, ONET.
According to College Scorecard, ASU graduates sit at the 83.7th percentile nationally for ROI. They earn $14,252 more than expected compared to similar institutions. The debt-to-earnings ratio is $0.29, meaning for every dollar earned, graduates carry about 29 cents in annual debt payments.
CS graduates skew these numbers upward due to their high starting salaries. A student choosing ASU for computer science is getting above-average financial return relative to comparable programmes elsewhere.
About 25.5% of ASU alumni continue to graduate school or professional training after their bachelor's degree.
Common graduate programmes for CS graduates:
MS in Computer Science
MS in Software Engineering
MS in Cybersecurity
MS in Robotics or AI
Doctoral work in Machine Learning / AI
Many students choose ASU itself for graduate work, as several of these programmes rank well nationally. A master's degree can open doors to senior engineering, research, or specialised roles (security engineering, ML engineering) that increasingly list an advanced degree as preferred.
"The $78k median is the CS salary." It is not. $78,000 is the median for all Fulton School engineering graduates. The CS-specific median is $99,911, roughly $22k higher.
"National median salary = what a new graduate earns." ONET medians (e.g. $140,910 for Computer Scientist) reflect all experience levels nationwide, not entry-level pay. New graduates should expect the ASU-specific figures as a better benchmark for starting salary.
"ROI percentile means ASU is cheap." ROI measures earnings relative to cost, not cost alone. ASU could have moderate tuition and still rank well on ROI because its graduates earn above average.
"86% employment means 14% are unemployed." Some of the remaining 14% chose graduate school, travel, or were not seeking employment. The figure measures those who had offers or were working, not the inverse as an unemployment rate.
⚠️ Know the difference between the Fulton-wide median ($78k) and the CS-specific median ($99,911). These are frequently confused.
⚠️ The 86% figure refers to jobs or offers within six months, not lifetime employment.
⚠️ ONET salary data is national and includes all experience levels. Do not cite these figures as "starting salary."
⚠️ Debt-to-earnings ratio ($0.29) is a single number that captures affordability relative to income. Be prepared to explain what it measures.
⚠️ The CHIPS Act connection: Arizona's proximity to semiconductor manufacturers (Intel) is a regional advantage that ties directly into job market demand for hardware and embedded-systems engineers.
True or False: The median starting salary for all ASU Fulton School graduates is $99,911.
Fill in the blank: ASU ranks ___th nationally for employer-student connection strength according to Niche.
True or False: ONET salary figures represent entry-level starting salaries.
Fill in the blank: ASU's debt-to-earnings ratio is $___.
True or False: About 25.5% of ASU alumni continue to graduate school.
Answers: 1. False (that is the CS-specific median; the Fulton-wide median is $78k). 2. 13th. 3. False (they reflect all experience levels nationally). 4. $0.29. 5. True.
Q: What is the median starting salary for ASU computer science graduates, and how does it compare to the Fulton School median?
A: CS graduates earn a median of $99,911. The Fulton School median across all engineering programmes is $78,000, so CS graduates start roughly $22k higher.
Q: What percentage of ASU engineering graduates have jobs or offers within six months?
A: 86%.
Q: Name three metrics from the College Scorecard that indicate ASU's return on investment.
A: 83.7th percentile nationally for ROI, $14,252 more than expected compared to similar institutions, and a $0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio.
Q: Why is the CHIPS Act relevant to ASU CSE graduates specifically?
A: The CHIPS Act funds domestic semiconductor manufacturing. ASU is located near several semiconductor companies (notably Intel), so graduates benefit from increased local demand for hardware and embedded-systems engineers.
Q: What is the difference between ONET median salaries and the ASU-specific starting salary?
A: ONET figures are national medians across all experience levels. The ASU figure ($99,911 for CS) reflects starting salary for recent graduates from that specific programme.
This material connects to labour economics and the economics of education: concepts like human capital theory explain why higher-skilled graduates command higher wages. The ROI and debt-to-earnings data tie into personal finance topics around student loan management.
The CHIPS Act discussion links to U.S. industrial policy and supply-chain economics. If you are studying semiconductor design or computer architecture, the job market trends here give you direct context for why those courses matter in practice.
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