Computer Science
What you'll do in college
The first two years cover the foundations: programming, data structures, algorithms, discrete math, and how a computer actually works underneath the hood. Upper-level classes branch out into operating systems, databases, networks, AI, graphics, security, and theory. Most programs require team-based software projects, where you'll learn (sometimes painfully) what it's like to share a codebase with other people.
Outside of class, internships at tech companies are practically expected by junior year, and many students contribute to open source, build personal apps, or compete in hackathons. Be ready for problem sets that take an entire weekend.
What you'll do after college
CS grads have one of the widest sets of options of any major. Many become software engineers at companies ranging from giant tech firms to two-person startups; others go into finance (quant trading and infrastructure), gaming, scientific computing, or government. Day-to-day work usually means writing, reviewing, and debugging code as part of a team, with meetings interrupting at the worst possible moments.
Pay is high, demand is strong, and remote work is common. Some grads pursue PhDs, while others jump straight to startups or do a tour through several companies in their first decade.
Famous graduates
- Marc Andreessen — Co-creator of Mosaic and co-founder of Netscape; B.S. in Computer Science from UIUC
- Brian Acton — Co-founder of WhatsApp; B.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University
- Cynthia Dwork — Turing Award-winning computer scientist; B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University
- Jeff Bezos — Founder of Amazon; B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings vs. selectivity rank
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 570 | 44,617 | 77% / 23% | 13% | $125,156 |
| Computer Science | 553 | 41,104 | 77% / 23% | 13% | $123,324 |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 19 | 817 | 81% / 19% | 7% | $112,112 |
| Software Engineering | 15 | 695 | 83% / 17% | 9% | $110,551 |
| Computer Software Engineering | 24 | 504 | 80% / 20% | 8% | $118,183 |
| Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences | 1 | 492 | 78% / 22% | 14% | $212,798 |
| Computer Science and Engineering (Course 6-3) | 1 | 323 | 58% / 42% | 13% | $203,763 |
| Computational Science | 20 | 299 | 66% / 34% | 14% | |
| Logic, Information, & Computation | 1 | 145 | 70% / 30% | 14% | $294,663 |
| Computer Systems Engineering | 1 | 74 | 81% / 19% | 9% | $112,376 |
| Computer Science and Economics | 2 | 50 | 74% / 26% | 22% | $261,025 |
| Computer Science and Software Engineering | 1 | 45 | 64% / 36% | 0% | |
| Computer Engineering and Computer Science | 1 | 36 | 67% / 33% | 25% | $142,736 |
| Computing | 3 | 15 | 60% / 40% | 53% | |
| Computing (CCS) | 1 | 15 | 80% / 20% | 13% | $128,748 |
| Computing and Mathematical Sciences | 1 | 2 | 50% / 50% | 0% | |
| Computing Sciences | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $107,414 |