Best colleges for Computer Science
A program that focuses on computer theory, computing problems and solutions, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective.
1,033 U.S. institutions graduated 88,326 Computer Science students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 11.0701, a specialization of Computer Science (CIP 11.07), and leads most directly to the Computer and Information Research Scientists occupation (BLS SOC 15-1221).
About Computer Science programs
A program that focuses on computer theory, computing problems and solutions, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective. Includes instruction in the principles of computational science, computer development and programming, and applications to a variety of end-use situations.
See also: 14.0901 - Computer Engineering, General.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Computer Science program focuses on computer theory, problem-solving, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective. It is ideal for students interested in understanding the principles of computational science and developing innovative technology solutions. This program prepares students for a dynamic field that is integral to various industries.
Students will gain essential skills in critical thinking, mathematics, and computer systems design. Coursework typically includes instruction in computer development, programming, and the application of technology to solve real-world problems.
Credentials awarded
What Computer Science graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree51,527 graduates / yr · 737 institutions58%
- Master's degree27,162 graduates / yr · 291 institutions31%
- Associate's degree6,776 graduates / yr · 261 institutions7.7%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship1,892 graduates / yr · 123 institutions2.1%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year535 graduates / yr · 34 institutions0.6%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate262 graduates / yr · 22 institutions0.3%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years83 graduates / yr · 6 institutions0.1%
- Post-master's certificate40 graduates / yr · 3 institutions0.0%
- Doctor's degree - professional practice37 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years10 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
- Award of less than 12 weeks2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
Graduates over time
Computer Science completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 18,646 |
| 2013 | 19,934 |
| 2014 | 22,595 |
| 2015 | 27,671 |
| 2016 | 34,427 |
| 2017 | 40,592 |
| 2018 | 43,085 |
| 2019 | 46,623 |
| 2020 | 52,257 |
| 2021 | 58,092 |
| 2022 | 59,023 |
| 2023 | 71,034 |
| 2024 | 78,278 |
| 2025 | 88,326 |
Top 50 institutions for Computer Science, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field starting salary* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, ILPublicMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoralPost-degree cert. | 1,684 | 85% | — | $124,530 |
| 2 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 1,652 | 68% | — | $80,686 |
| 3 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MOPublicMaster'sBachelor's | 1,608 | 54% | — | $67,040 |
| 4 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 1,551 | 92% | $26,873 | $137,284 |
| 5 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sAssociate's | 1,530 | 43% | $34,565 | $71,764 |
| 6 | Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sAssociate'sMaster's | 1,439 | 46% | $11,580 | $83,860 |
| 7 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MDPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 1,330 | 89% | — | $99,756 |
| 8 | Oregon State University Corvallis, ORPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 1,296 | 70% | — | $85,376 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 1,213 | 69% | — | $67,704 |
| 10 | Stanford University Stanford, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 1,018 | 92% | $12,032 | $138,613 |
| 11 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 995 | 93% | — | $149,866 |
| 12 | Cornell University Ithaca, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 910 | 95% | $17,613 | $152,656 |
| 13 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 901 | 83% | — | $88,554 |
| 14 | Purdue University West Lafayette, INPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 883 | 83% | — | $94,786 |
| 15 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublicMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoralPost-degree cert. | 879 | 85% | — | $85,809 |
| 16 | Columbia University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 877 | 96% | $15,315 | $118,636 |
| 17 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 844 | 87% | — | $82,161 |
| 18 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 834 | 86% | — | $112,006 |
| 19 | Campbellsville University Campbellsville, KYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 810 | 42% | $18,824 | — |
| 20 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 778 | 75% | $19,899 | $86,005 |
| 21 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 764 | 75% | — | $75,150 |
| 22 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 743 | 85% | — | $82,861 |
| 23 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, COPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 699 | 74% | — | $77,385 |
| 24 | Boston University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 694 | 89% | $21,956 | $90,050 |
| 25 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 684 | 96% | $11,666 | $154,492 |
| 26 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 676 | 70% | — | $57,307 |
| 27 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearDoctoral | 674 | 53% | — | $66,803 |
| 28 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 672 | 84% | — | $86,084 |
| 29 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NYPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 636 | 76% | — | — |
| 30 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 631 | 85% | — | $128,887 |
| 31 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 596 | 93% | — | — |
| 32 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 594 | 69% | — | $60,378 |
| 33 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sPost-degree cert.Doctoral | 590 | 87% | $34,827 | $99,007 |
| 34 | Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, COPrivate for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral (prof.) | 588 | 19% | $16,966 | $67,531 |
| 35 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, ILPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 586 | 62% | — | $78,040 |
| 36 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 540 | 52% | — | $68,763 |
| 37 | Pace University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 529 | 60% | $29,994 | $60,551 |
| 38 | University of Georgia Athens, GAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 493 | 90% | — | $79,546 |
| 39 | University of California-Riverside Riverside, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 477 | 76% | — | $81,034 |
| 40 | University of Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City, MOPublicMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 472 | 55% | — | $69,239 |
| 41 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MDPublicBachelor's | 458 | 33% | — | — |
| 42 | University of Bridgeport Bridgeport, CTPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 454 | 41% | $25,149 | — |
| 43 | University of Chicago Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 454 | 96% | $13,333 | $117,578 |
| 44 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FLPrivate for-profitAssociate'sBachelor's | 437 | 44% | $32,163 | $50,359 |
| 45 | Brown University Providence, RIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 436 | 96% | $14,644 | $151,065 |
| 46 | University of California-Davis Davis, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 434 | 86% | — | — |
| 47 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 420 | 91% | — | $90,293 |
| 48 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, INPublicMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 416 | 80% | — | $77,909 |
| 49 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MDPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 414 | 70% | — | $83,684 |
| 50 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UTPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 414 | 65% | — | $90,282 |
* Field starting salary (1 yr): median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Computer Science field (CIP 11.07) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 54 states & territories
Where Computer Science graduates come from. Each state links to all Computer Science programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 15-1221, Computer and Information Research Scientists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Computer Science program can pursue careers as Computer and Information Research Scientists, Software Developers, and Data Scientists, among others. The job outlook is much faster than average, with a projected growth rate of 19.7% and approximately 3,200 annual openings. The median wage for these roles is around $140,910, with a typical education requirement of a Master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 11.0701
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Computer and Information Research Scientistsprimary SOC 15-1221 | $140,300 | +19.7% Much faster than average | ~3,200 | Master's degree |
Software Developers SOC 15-1252 | $135,980 | +15.8% Much faster than average | ~115,200 | Bachelor's degree |
Computer and Information Systems Managers SOC 11-3021 | $175,140 | +15.2% Much faster than average | ~55,600 | Bachelor's degree |
Computer Occupations, All Other SOC 15-1299 | $116,580 | +8.2% Much faster than average | ~31,300 | Bachelor's degree |
Data Scientists SOC 15-2051 | $120,230 | +33.5% Much faster than average | ~23,400 | Bachelor's degree |
Information Security Analysts SOC 15-1212 | $129,180 | +28.5% Much faster than average | ~16,000 | Bachelor's degree |
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers SOC 15-1253 | $104,300 | +10.0% Much faster than average | ~14,000 | Bachelor's degree |
Computer Network Support Specialists SOC 15-1231 | $76,220 | +1.8% Little or no change | ~9,600 | Associate's degree |
Web and Digital Interface Designers SOC 15-1255 | $104,000 | +7.0% Faster than average | ~9,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Computer Programmers SOC 15-1251 | $100,390 | -6.0% Decline | ~5,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Web Developers SOC 15-1254 | $92,650 | +7.5% Faster than average | ~5,400 | Bachelor's degree |
Database Architects SOC 15-1243 | $139,500 | +8.7% Much faster than average | ~4,000 | Bachelor's degree |
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1021 | $96,980 | +5.3% Faster than average | ~3,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Computer Science programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software.
- Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses.
- Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.
- Meet with managers, vendors, and others to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- Design computers and the software that runs them.
- Conduct logical analyses of business, scientific, engineering, and other technical problems, formulating mathematical models of problems for solution by computers.
Tools and technology used
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's, Master's, Associate's, or Doctor's degree in Computer Science.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, mathematics, programming, and problem-solving.
What is the job outlook for Computer Science graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 19.7%.
What types of jobs can I get with a Computer Science degree?+
You can work as a Computer and Information Research Scientist, Software Developer, or Data Scientist, among other roles.
What is the CIP code for Computer Science?+
Computer Science is CIP 11.0701 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Computer Science (CIP 11.07). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on computer theory, computing problems and solutions, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective. Includes instruction in the principles of computational science, computer development and programming, and applications to a variety of end-use situations.
How many institutions offer Computer Science programs?+
1,033 U.S. institutions reported Computer Science graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 54 states & territories, awarding 88,326 credentials in the year. That is 100.0% of all Computer Science graduates.
How much do Computer Science graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Computer and Information Research Scientists occupation, which Computer Science most directly leads to, pays a median of $140,300 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Computer Science field report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $70,783, College Scorecard.
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all Computer Science graduates, so its figures match the Computer Science program page.
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