I'm currently in High School and trying to look into what I want to do after I graduate. I know that I will be going to college, and that I want a degree in Computer Science, however, I'm not entirely sure where I want to go (I haven't started the application process yet).

I already have built up a decent amount of experience in programming (over the summers I have been hired to program at a local university), and I'm pretty capable of teaching myself most of the material I've come across through either books or web documentation.

I'm interested in whether it is worth it to get a degree from a major, big-name computer science university for $50,000 each year, as opposed to going to a local state school for only $20,000. For my Bachelor's degree alone, this would be $120,000 more than the state school.

I've also heard that where you get your Bachelor's doesn't matter much if you plan to get a Master's degree. Many people recommend going somewhere like a state school for your Bachelor's, and then try to get into a more major school for your Master's. Has anybody found any truth in this?

Basically, is going to a big name computer science school for a Bachelor's degree really worth the added expense?