Being the “best” is very subjective. Every college student is different and what might be the best for one student may not be for another. So don’t get too caught up on what is considered “the best” college, find what works for you. Computer Science is an excellent major. Earning a degree in Computer Science will give graduates considerable job opportunities. The employment growth is fast and in demand as they are some of the most sought-after and highest-paid.
If you are interested in software, data, and algorithms, then Computer Science may be the perfect major for you. This major is considered hard as it is very math intensive. Be sure to check out, How To Pass Your Math Classes. Computer Science students also study coding, technology theory, data security, algorithms, and data transport.
What Types Of Careers You Can Peruse With A Computer Science Degree
A graduate beginning their career in Computer Science might pursue a career in one of the following areas:
Computer Science Careers
- Computer Programming
- Artificial Intelligence
- General Computer Science
- Cybersecurity
- Scientific Computing Applications
- Web Development
- Computer Graphics
- Software Development
My List Of The Top Universities For Computer Science
How I ranked the best colleges for Computer Science was based on the majors offered, including a variety of concentrations in the field. I also factored in acceptance rates, SAT range, and the price per year. All yearly costs are without financial aid and include tuition, fees, on-campus housing, meals, and books and supplies.
Let’s jump in and look at the 15 best colleges for computer science majors…
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Acceptance Rate: 16%
SAT Range: 1310-1500
Annual Costs: $28,166 (In-State) or $49,278 (Out-of-State)
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science: Devices
- Computer Science: Information Internetworks
- Computer Science: Intelligence
- Computer Science: Media
- Computer Science: Modeling and Simulation
- Computer Science: People
- Computer Science: Systems and Architecture
- Computer Science: Theory
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Acceptance Rate: 4%
SAT Range: 1500-1570
Annual Cost: $79,850
Computer Science Majors:
- Electrical Science and Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making
- Computer Science and Molecular Biology
- Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science
- Computation and Cognition
- Urban Science and Planning with Computer Science
3. Yale University
Acceptance Rate: 5.3%
SAT Range: 1480-1580
Annual Cost: $84,525
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science (BA)
- Computer Science (BS)
- Computer Science and Economics (BS)
- Computer Science and Mathematics (BS)
- Computer Science and Psychology (BA)
- Computing and Linguistics (BA)
- Computing and Linguistics (BS)
- Computing and the Arts (BA)
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (BS)
4. Stanford University
Acceptance Rate: 3.9%
SAT Range: 1470-1570
Annual Cost: $82,162
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence
- Computer Science: Biocomputation
- Computer Science: Computer Engineering
- Computer Science: Graphics
- Computer Science: Human-Computer Interaction
- Computer Science: Information
- Computer Science: Systems
- Computer Science: Theory
- Computer Science: Unspecialized
5. University of Pennsylvania
Acceptance Rate: 5.9%
SAT Range: 1480-1570
Annual Cost: $83,134
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science (BSE)
- Computer Science (BAS)
- Digital Media Design
- Networked and Social Systems Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Computational Biology
6. Columbia University
Acceptance Rate: 4.1%
SAT Range: 1470-1570
Annual Cost: $85,967
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science (BS)
- Computer Science (BA)
- Computer Science and Mathematics (BA)
- Computer Engineering (BS)
- Data Science (BA)
- Information Science (BA)
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Acceptance Rate: 13.5%
SAT Range: 1480-1560
Annual Cost: $80,540
Computer Science Majors:
- Artificial Intelligence (BS)
- Computational Biology (BS)
- Computer Science (BS)
- Computer Science and Arts (BCSA)
- Human-Computer Interaction (BS)
8. Brown University
Acceptance Rate: 5.5%
SAT Range: 1460-1570
Annual Cost: $83,683
Computer Science Majors:
- Applied Mathematics – Computer Science (BS)
- Computer Science (BA)
- Computer Science (BS)
- Computer Science – Economics (BA)
- Computer Science – Economics (BS)
- Mathematics – Computer Science (BS)
9. Rice University
Acceptance Rate: 9%
SAT Range: 1490-1570
Annual Cost: $74,110
Computer Science Majors:
- Computational Applied Mathematics (BA)
- Computer Science (BA)
- Computer Science (BS)
Similar Majors:
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (BA)
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (BS)
10. California Institute of Technology
Acceptance Rate: 3.9%
SAT Range: 1530-1570
Annual Cost: $83,598
Computer Science Majors:
- Applied and Computational Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Information and Data Sciences
11. Duke University
Acceptance Rate: 5.9%
SAT Range: 1468-1558
Annual Cost: $84,517
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science (BS)
- Computer Science (BA)
Similar Majors:
- Electrical and Computer Engineering: Computer Engineering and Digital Systems
- Electrical and Computer Engineering: Signal Processing, Communications and Control Systems
- Electrical and Computer Engineering: Solid-State Devices and Integrated Circuits
- Electrical and Computer Engineering: Electromagnetic Fields
- Electrical and Computer Engineering: Photonics
- Electrical and Computer Engineering: Machine Learning
12. University of California, Berkley
Acceptance Rate: 14.4%
SAT Range: 1340-1540
Annual Cost: $43,794
Computer Science Majors:
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (BS)
- Computer Science (BA)
13. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Acceptance Rate: 20.4%
SAT Range: 1140-1380
Annual Cost: $26,118 (In-State) and $57,370 (Out-of-State)
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science (BS)
- Computer Science (BA)
14. Princeton University
Acceptance Rate: 4.4%
SAT Range: 1460-1570
Annual Cost: $79,540
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science (BSE)
- Computer Science (BA)
15. Harvard University
Acceptance Rate: 4%
SAT Range: 1480-1580
Annual Cost: $76,963
Computer Science Majors:
- Computer Science (BA)
What Are The Differences Between Computer Science And Computer Engineering
It can be hard to tell the difference between these two disciplines because they share many similarities. In college, many of the same classes will overlap which can be confusing for students. If you are looking to understand the differences see The Main Differences Between Computer Science and Computer Engineering Majors.
—Sensei
