Best Online Computer Science Programs in Paterson, NJ (2026)

Paterson, New Jersey has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs, with tuition ranging from $4,757 to $38,702 per year for indexed programs. Paterson has a population of about 157,660. Median household income is $53,766 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 12.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $215,300 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Computer Science Schools to Paterson

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near Paterson, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Paterson city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Paterson. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Passaic County Community College

Paterson, NJ 0.4 miles from Paterson BOC Score 38.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 18%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,972
Avg net price $7,761/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all New Jersey schools on the New Jersey computer science page.


Computer Science Wages Near Paterson

Paterson is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (BLS area code 35620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Jersey statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$166,830New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$148,162
Computer Systems Analyst$128,340New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$113,979
Computer Network Architect$163,010New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$144,769
Database Administrator$121,550New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$107,948
Database Architect$131,540New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$116,821
Information Security Analyst$140,470New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$124,751
Computer Network Support Specialist$86,930New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$77,202
Computer User Support Specialist$75,690New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$67,220
Web Developer$104,820New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$93,091
Web and Digital Interface Designer$119,190New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,853
Computer and Information Systems Manager$215,300New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$191,208

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Paterson at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population157,660Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$53,766Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+12.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)112.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Passaic County1,000 workers, 133 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Paterson-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Paterson, NJ?

Accredited schools offering computer science programs near Paterson are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Paterson?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Paterson are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($215,300), Software Developer ($166,830), Computer Network Architect ($163,010). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Jersey statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Elmwood Park instead of Paterson?

Elmwood Park, NJ is 2.3 miles from Paterson and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Paterson an affordable place to study computer science?

Paterson’s median household income of $53,766 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paterson while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Jersey public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Paterson

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Paterson:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.