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2023 Best Computer Science Schools

758 Schools Ranked
$42,485 Average Earnings
$22,242 Avg Student Debt

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for computer science students. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools and bootcamp that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Computer Science Degree Search has developed this Best Computer Science Schools ranking. This report analyzed 758 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best programs for computer science students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Computer Science Schools in the United States

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
$94,845 Average Earnings

Our analysis found California Institute of Technology to be the best school for computer science students in the United States.

After graduating from Caltech, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $94,845 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

#2

Stanford University

Stanford, California
$83,159 Average Earnings
$13,926 Avg Student Debt

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Stanford University is a great place for computer science students.

On average, students take out $13,926 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Stanford graduates make an average of $83,159 annually.

Full Stanford University Report

#3

Rice University

Houston, Texas
$64,867 Average Earnings
$13,206 Avg Student Debt

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rice University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Computer Science Schools list.

Degree recipients from Rice accumulate an average of $13,206 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, Rice graduates make an average of $64,867 annually.

Full Rice University Report

#4

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
$50,925 Average Earnings
$14,769 Avg Student Debt

The excellent programs at Brown University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best computer science schools in the United States.

Degree recipients from Brown accumulate an average of $14,769 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $507. During the early years of their career, Brown graduates make an average of $50,925 annually.

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#5

DigiPen Institute of Technology

Redmond, Washington
$46,263 Average Earnings
$29,236 Avg Student Debt

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend DigiPen Institute of Technology. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Computer Science Schools list.

By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $29,236 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $829 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, Digipen graduates make an average of $46,263 annually.

Read full report on DigiPen Institute of Technology

#6

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
$94,282 Average Earnings
$12,518 Avg Student Debt

Massachusetts Institute of Technology did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for computer science students. It came in at #6 on the list.

By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,518 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $627, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, MIT graduates make an average of $94,282 annually.

Read full report on Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#7

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
$71,290 Average Earnings
$19,762 Avg Student Debt

With a ranking of #7, Duke University did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working.

On average, students take out $19,762 in loans while pursuing their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $727 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, Duke graduates make an average of $71,290 annually.

Full Duke University Report

$72,002 Average Earnings
$23,699 Avg Student Debt

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best computer science programs.

On average, students take out $23,699 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $444. During the early years of their career, Georgia Tech graduates make an average of $72,002 annually.

Full Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Report

#9

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
$81,207 Average Earnings
$17,262 Avg Student Debt

University of Pennsylvania did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for computer science students. It came in at #9 on the list.

On average, students take out $17,262 in loans while pursuing their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $547 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UPenn, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $81,207 during the early years of their career.

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#10

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
$78,371 Average Earnings
$26,098 Avg Student Debt

With a ranking of #10, Harvard University did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working.

On average, students take out $26,098 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Harvard graduates make an average of $78,371 annually.

Full Harvard University Report

#11

Middlesex Community College

Bedford, Massachusetts
$42,511 Average Earnings
$12,965 Avg Student Debt

Middlesex Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Computer Science Schools list.

Degree recipients from Middlesex Community College accumulate an average of $12,965 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Middlesex Community College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $42,511 during the early year of their career.

Full Middlesex Community College Report

#12

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
$65,907 Average Earnings
$14,061 Avg Student Debt

Cornell University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for computer science students. It came in at #12 on the list.

Degree recipients from Cornell accumulate an average of $14,061 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $570 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, Cornell graduates make an average of $65,907 annually.

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#13

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut
$64,868 Average Earnings
$15,684 Avg Student Debt

Yale University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Computer Science Schools list.

On average, students take out $15,684 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Yale graduates make an average of $64,868 annually.

Full Yale University Report

#14

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
$46,135 Average Earnings
$11,578 Avg Student Debt

With a ranking of #14, Wellesley College did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working.

Degree recipients from Wellesley accumulate an average of $11,578 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Wellesley, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $46,135 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Wellesley College

#15

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
$60,587 Average Earnings
$15,301 Avg Student Debt

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for computer science students. It came in at #15 on the list.

Degree recipients from UC Berkeley accumulate an average of $15,301 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $323, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UC Berkeley, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $60,587 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on University of California - Berkeley

#16

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
$77,372 Average Earnings

Carnegie Mellon University landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best computer science programs.

During the early years of their career, Carnegie Mellon graduates make an average of $77,372 annually.

Full Carnegie Mellon University Report

#17

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
$58,860 Average Earnings
$19,395 Avg Student Debt

With a ranking of #17, University of Notre Dame did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working.

On average, students take out $19,395 in loans while pursuing their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $578, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, Notre Dame graduates make an average of $58,860 annually.

Read full report on University of Notre Dame

#18

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
$68,344 Average Earnings
$18,755 Avg Student Debt

Johns Hopkins University landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best computer science programs.

By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,755 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $599 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from Johns Hopkins, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $68,344 during the early years of their career.

Full Johns Hopkins University Report

#19

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, Texas
$54,873 Average Earnings
$21,581 Avg Student Debt

With a ranking of #19, Texas Christian University did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working.

Degree recipients from TCU accumulate an average of $21,581 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $664 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, TCU graduates make an average of $54,873 annually.

Read full report on Texas Christian University

#20

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
$58,051 Average Earnings
$17,682 Avg Student Debt

With a ranking of #20, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working.

By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,682 in student loans. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $419.After graduating from U-M, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $58,051 during the early years of their career.

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#21

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
$57,143 Average Earnings
$17,163 Avg Student Debt

Dartmouth College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for computer science students. It came in at #21 on the list.

On average, students take out $17,163 in loans while pursuing their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $626 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from Dartmouth, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $57,143 during the early years of their career.

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$53,632 Average Earnings
$20,281 Avg Student Debt

The University of Texas at Austin ranked #22 on this year’s Best Computer Science Schools list.

By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,281 in student loans. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $270. During the early years of their career, UT Austin graduates make an average of $53,632 annually.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Report

#23

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
$58,809 Average Earnings
$18,266 Avg Student Debt

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for computer science students. It came in at #23 on the list.

By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,266 in student loans. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $383.After graduating from University of Virginia, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $58,809 during the early years of their career.

Full University of Virginia - Main Campus Report

#24

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
$66,962 Average Earnings
$14,392 Avg Student Debt

Vanderbilt University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Computer Science Schools ranking.

Degree recipients from Vanderbilt accumulate an average of $14,392 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $644 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from Vanderbilt, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $66,962 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Vanderbilt University

#25

Bunker Hill Community College

Boston, Massachusetts
$39,456 Average Earnings
$12,931 Avg Student Debt

Bunker Hill Community College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Computer Science Schools list.

On average, students take out $12,931 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, BHCC graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $39,456 during the early year of their career.

Read full report on Bunker Hill Community College

Rest of the Top 50 Best Computer Science Schools in the United States

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#27

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#28

Florida Polytechnic University

Lakeland, Florida
#29

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, North Carolina
#30

Fox Valley Technical College

Appleton, Wisconsin
#32

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#34

Madison Area Technical College

Madison, Wisconsin
#35

Lake Area Technical Institute

Watertown, South Dakota
#36

Saint Martin's University

Lacey, Washington
#37

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, Wisconsin
#39

Anne Arundel Community College

Arnold, Maryland
#41

Metropolitan Community College

Omaha, Nebraska
#42

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#43

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia
#44

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia
#46

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#47

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
#48

Sinclair Community College

Dayton, Ohio
#49

Western Governors University

Salt Lake City, Utah
#50

Herzing University - Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama

Rest of the Top 15% Best Computer Science Schools in the United States

To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:

Rank School Location
51 Tufts University Medford, MA
52 George Mason University Fairfax, VA
53 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
54 University of Chicago Chicago, IL
55 Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI
56 Villanova University Villanova, PA
57 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
58 Dunwoody College of Technology Minneapolis, MN
59 Bellevue College Bellevue, WA
60 NHTI-Concord’s Community College Concord, NH
61 Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO
62 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
63 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
64 Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville, KY
65 University of Washington - Bothell Campus Bothell, WA
66 Asher College Sacramento, CA
67 Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Shell Lake, WI
68 Northern Essex Community College Haverhill, MA
69 Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GA
70 George Washington University Washington, DC
71 Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH
72 University of Phoenix - Arizona Tempe, AZ
73 North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park, MN
74 Northeastern University Boston, MA
75 University of Florida Gainesville, FL
76 University of Delaware Newark, DE
77 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
78 Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA
79 Herzing University - Kenner Kenner, LA
80 Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA
81 University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA
82 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA
83 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
84 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY
85 University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA
86 University of Rochester Rochester, NY
87 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN
88 New York University New York, NY
89 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC
90 Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO
91 Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA
92 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
93 Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network Boston, MA
94 St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud, MN
95 Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO
96 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
97 Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT
98 University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD
99 Delaware Technical Community College - Terry Dover, DE
100 Herzing University - Akron Akron, OH
101 Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls, SD
102 Boston University Boston, MA
103 Normandale Community College Bloomington, MN
104 Bentley University Waltham, MA
105 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY
106 Auburn University Auburn, AL
107 Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN
108 Clemson University Clemson, SC
109 Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC
110 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
111 San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Visalia, CA
112 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
113 Bellevue University Bellevue, NE
114 Emory University Atlanta, GA

Honorable Mentions

These schools also performed well in our best computer science schools ranking:

Rank School Location
115 Bowie State University Bowie, MD
116 Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX
117 Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA
118 Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI
119 American Public University System Charles Town, WV
120 Collin County Community College District McKinney, TX
121 Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee, WI
122 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
123 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
124 Seattle University Seattle, WA
125 New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ
126 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH
127 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
128 The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX
129 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
130 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
131 Rutgers University - Newark Newark, NJ
132 Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ
133 Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY
134 Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO
135 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
136 Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ
137 Gonzaga University Spokane, WA
138 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
139 Nashville State Community College Nashville, TN
140 University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA
141 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
142 Central Community College Grand Island, NE
143 Dakota State University Madison, SD
144 Lake Washington Institute of Technology Kirkland, WA
145 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
146 Herzing University - Atlanta Atlanta, GA
147 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
148 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
149 Southwestern College Winfield, KS
150 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA
151 Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay, WI
152 Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac, WI

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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