Master's · Chicago, Illinois

Is Computer Programming at University of Chicago worth it?

Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back fast: graduates typically recover the cost in about 1.3 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $107,597; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $193,303; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $51,847; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Typical borrowing (no graduate net price is published): $55k (likely $55k – $55k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $127k a year vs bachelor's graduates 4 years out in IL; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 1.3 years (likely 1.0–1.7); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: $986k (likely $712k – $1.30M); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $2.50M (likely $1.87M – $3.24M); Today's dollars

Scorecard reports no net price for graduate programs; cost is based on what graduates typically borrowed.