35 Best Bachelor's Degrees in Computer Science

Updated November 22, 2022

The decision to major in Computer Science is one any student can make to ensure employment and financial stability. In 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor found that Computer Programmers with a Bachelor's degree earned a median of $82,240, while Computer and Information Scientists who had a Master's degree had a median salary of $114,520. ...

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The decision to major in Computer Science is one any student can make to ensure employment and financial stability. In 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor found that Computer Programmers with a Bachelor's degree earned a median of $82,240, while Computer and Information Scientists who had a Master's degree had a median salary of $114,520. Those who pursue at least a baccalaureate degree in Computer Science will be well-prepared for either competitive professional salaries or graduate school, depending on their postgrad intentions.

All students in pursuit of at least a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Computer Science should expect to graduate with skills in a programming language, systems operations, those necessary to build technological tools, and many more. Because of the many facets of the discipline, graduates will also be well-versed in technological ethics and artificial intelligence. All programs serve to provide students with the methodologies and tools to solve problems in the discipline's professional world, as well as provide training in communication skills to accompany the work done with technology. These aspects of the degree make graduates competitive candidates for jobs. Majoring in Computer Science will guarantee long-term stability and a mind trained in both technological work and many types of marketable analysis.

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Top 35 Bachelor's Degrees in Computer Science

  1. Duke University
    Location

    Durham, NC

    Tuition

    $22011

    Duke University offers both a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, with many options for double-majors and related interdepartmental majors that include studies in CS. Many students participate in research opportunities at Duke, including 10-week summer internships, hands-on project courses, and independent study alongside faculty members. Undergraduate teaching assistantships are available, giving students both teaching experience and a chance to earn financial compensation while in school. Students in the BS program have options of concentrations in Software Systems or Data Science, while those in the BA pathway will not have room/credit opportunities for a concentration.

  2. Harvard University
    Location

    Cambridge, MA

    Tuition

    $17030

    Harvard University's Computer Science undergraduate program is offered as a Bachelor of Arts degree (but note that they refer to it as an A.B., following the original Latin term for the degree). The curriculum for the degree includes courses in necessary software, basic math, theory, and technical electives related to the field. Four concentrations are offered in the major: the Basic Concentration, Honors Concentration, Joint Concentration, and the Mind, Brain, Behavior Concentration. Students have the option of studying abroad for a semester, in locations like Budapest. Clubs on campus that CS students may be interested in include Women in Computer Science, Harvard Computer Society, a Robotics Club, and more.

  3. University of California - Berkeley
    Location

    Berkeley, CA

    Tuition

    $18178

    The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program offered by University of California at Berkeley prepares those pursuing both professional careers and research careers, perhaps as professors after earning their Ph.D. Students will be well-prepped for both pathways, including possible admission to UC Berkeley's graduate programs in CS. The curriculum covers all aspects of Computer Science, including its theory of computation, design, and analysis of algorithms, programming languages, computer graphics, artificial intelligence, and more. All students should apply to the College of Letters & Sciences, and after completing major prerequisites, they can begin upper-division courses to complete the major in CS.

  4. University of Virginia
    Location

    Charlottesville, VA

    Tuition

    $16594

    The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Virginia was designed to prepare students for competitive careers post-graduation. Graduates from the program have gone onto careers in information technology, health care, entertainment, scientific inquiry, transportation, business, and many other industries. The curriculum provides foundational and extensive knowledge in methodologies of CS, as well as describing, implementing, and analyzing information processes. Core courses include Theory of Computation, Computer Architecture, Operating Systems, Probability, and more. All students will also be required to take classes in science, technology & society, and humanities. A senior capstone project will be completed before graduation.

  5. Georgia Institute of Technology
    Location

    Atlanta, GA

    Tuition

    $15873

    The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology was designed to prepare students for a wide array of careers, as they see CS as a fundamental skill for many industries. For those interested in pursuing graduate-level study, GIT offers a BS/MS program, where students can earn both the BS and Master of Science in Computer Science in just five years. The undergraduate program focuses more on CS courses in the junior and senior year, with the earlier prerequisites consisting of courses in English, humanities, social sciences, math, and natural sciences. Most students who applied to GIT had a GPA of 3.5 or higher, with average GPAs being reported at 3.9-4.02.

  6. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Location

    Champaign, IL

    Tuition

    $16638

    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign designed their BS in Computer Science program to provide a solid foundation in all aspects of the field, with core course topics in algorithms, ethical issues, communication in computing, systems programming, computer design, and many more. Electives include courses like Natural Language Processing, Artificial Intelligence, Video Game Design and Development, and more. All students will also be required to take nine credit hours in math courses, and other classes like English and social sciences to fulfill general education requirements. Students will complete a Professional Development Seminar during their last term, but no senior project or thesis is required.

  7. Stanford University
    Location

    Stanford, CA

    Tuition

    $16562

    Stanford's Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program offers many different concentration tracks, which speaks to how interdisciplinary the discipline is. There's also an honors program available. Students who are drawn to Computer Science, as well as other liberal arts-inclined studies, may be interested in the Symbolic Systems major, which explores CS and its relationship with linguistics, philosophy, and psychology. There's also a Mathematical and Computational Sciences major available. The different options of study with focuses on Computer Science aside from the BSCS program emphasize how Stanford views the discourse as one that will serve a variety of different industries and studies, ensuring student professional success upon graduation. There are courses for those who wish to begin at the fundamentals of programming, those who are interested in fundamental ideas behind computer science, and more.

  8. Texas A&M University - College Station
    Location

    College Station, TX

    Tuition

    $19554

    The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Texas A&M University is a competitive program expecting its students to be dedicated. All students admitted to the university will first follow a curriculum their freshmen year that is identical for most engineering undergraduate programs. Upon finishing those prerequisites, they will apply for a major, listing at least three different majors that are a good match for their goals and academic ability. Once admitted to the CS program, students will take courses in science, mathematics, statistics, English, and computing. They will also be required to complete a 12-hour area of concentration in another related department.

  9. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
    Location

    Ann Arbor, MI

    Tuition

    $16408

    The Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor offers a concentration in Computer Science, which focuses on computer systems, system programming, graphics and visualization, networks, and web technology. There's also an Information Systems concentration, which is similar but focuses more on databases, enterprise computing, and system analysis. The overlap in the two proves how interdisciplinary and expansive the fields are so that students will be prepared for a variety of different careers post-graduation. There's also a Game Design program. The expansiveness of UM's Computer Science-related programs guarantees that graduates will be prepared for immediate employment after graduation.

  10. Purdue University-Main Campus
    Location

    West Lafayette, IN

    Tuition

    $12117

    Purdue University's Bachelor of Science in Computer Science has been consistently ranked as one of the top degrees in the country. Students should expect to become experts on graphics and animation, robotics, web programming, competitive programming, cryptography and security, and more, depending on what area they hope to focus on. Those admitted to Purdue and then pursue the CS program will take six core courses, and then select one or more tracks to focus on a specific areass of CS. These tracks include Computer Graphics and Visualization, Machine Intelligence, Security, Software Engineering, and six more listed on the program's website. Faculty in the department have led world-renowned research in the field.

Methodology: Here's How We Rank Schools

At Best Value Schools, we help students of all ages get the best possible value for their education. When choosing the best schools and programs, we prioritize tuition rates, student debt, financial aid opportunities, graduation rates, and the availability of online programs. We source unbiased data from government and educational databases like the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 6,374 schools across the U.S. We organize that data into five weighted categories to compile our school rankings.
Metric Data Used Percentage
Academic Quality Full-time faculty percentage, student-to-faculty ratio, student retention and graduation rates 25%
Affordability Tuition rates, median student debt, and financial aid 35%
Reputation Admission and enrollment rates 15%
Program Offerings Number of program options 10%
Online Enrollment Score Portion of learners taking at least one online course 15%
You can read more about our comprehensive evaluation process on our methodology page.

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Selection Criteria

Best Value Schools publishes college degree rankings with the belief of how one's higher education should be, both, affordable and an investment of continued value for the students who pursue them. The staff of BVS collects data from reputable sources in order to calculate Net Price and the short and long-term value of every ranked degree. Collected data is simplified into weighted categories before scoring and then scaled through a BVS Score up to 100. The weighted categories are:

  • Degree Investment Return (25%)
  • Student & Alumni Evaluation (25%)
  • Cost Value (25%)
  • Matriculation (10%)
  • Academic Success (15%)

No matter what degree you decide on, we hope our research and support has made the selection process easier. There are numerous resources BVS utilizes to collect information on degrees, and we encourage you to check them out for yourself!

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