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Top 10 Best PhD in Computer Science Programs

Are you looking to further your studies in computer science? Perfect! I’ve researched and put together these ten computer science PhD programs, so keep reading to find your next course!

As you know, PhD in computer science holders are sought-after specialists, with current demand far outstripping supply. According to the Bureau for Labor Statistics , jobs for computer and information research scientists are estimated to grow by an impressive 22% between 2020 and 2030. You might score similar positions with a PhD in mathematics , too. But a PhD in computer science can open doors to some of the most lucrative jobs in the industry.

Let’s explore some of the best computer science PhD courses in the US!

Table of Contents

Best Computer Science PhD Programs and Universities

Stanford university.

PhD in Computer Science

Stanford University is one of the most famous research institutions in the world, and its Computer Science programs have been ranked second  in the USA. This PhD program involves a research rotation scheme where students participate in different research groups during the first year. This exposes them to different subjects and lets them know the faculty and fellow students.

• Courses : Analysis of algorithms, programming languages, and computer network & security.
• Credits : 135 course units
• Duration : 5-6 years
• Delivery : On-campus
• Tuition : Refer tuition page  (full funding available)
• Financial aid : Research assistantships, teaching assistantships, fellowships, and grants
• Acceptance rate:  5.2%
• Location : Stanford, California

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

PhD in Computer Science and Engineering

MIT is known as the best technical institution in the world, and its computer science programs were ranked first  in the country by the US & News report. Students can work with all schools and departments throughout their studies.

• Courses : Software & computation for simulation, process data analytics & machine learning, and numerical computing & interactive software.
• Credits : 60
• Tuition : Refer tuition page
• Financial aid:  Scholarships, federal work-study, fellowships, assistantships, grants, and veteran benefits
• Acceptance rate:  7.3%
• Location : Cambridge, Massachusetts

Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Sciences

CMU is a globally acclaimed private research university, home to conducting cutting-edge technology research across its seven prestigious schools. This is one of the few PhD programs in computer science with an optional dual degree arrangement enabling you to study programs with one of seven Portuguese universities.

• Courses : Algorithms & complexity, artificial intelligence, and software systems.
• Credits : 96 university units
• Tuition : $48,250 per year
• Financial aid:  Full funding, fellowships, and scholarships
• Acceptance rate : 17.3%
• Location : Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Harvard University, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Harvard University is a world-renowned research institution that aims to achieve the perfect mix of scholarship and innovation. Across the university, every PhD student is given a field advisor right from the beginning of the program. Then, the student identifies a research area and a potential research advisor in their first two semesters. Upon qualifying, the research advisor nominates a research committee to assist the student throughout their graduate career.

• Courses : Algorithms & their limitations, data structures & algorithms, and cryptography.
• Credits : 16 half-courses
• Duration : 2 years minimum
• Financial aid : Full funding, fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships
• Acceptance rate:  5%

Duke University, The Graduate School

Duke University is an internationally acclaimed private research university known for its inclusivity. Its Center for Exemplary Mentoring aims to increase the number of PhD graduates from underrepresented and minority communities. Its PhD of Computer Science program is flexible and allows students to choose between a coursework-only option of 30 credits or a thesis.

• Courses : Programming & problem solving, computational microeconomics, and software design & implementation.
• Credits : 8 courses
• Duration : 5 years
• Tuition : $4,325  per semester
• Financial aid : Grants, fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships
• Acceptance rate : 7.7%
• Location : Durham, North Carolina

The University of California Berkeley, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS)

The University of California Berkeley is a prestigious university committed to student diversity and has a dedicated Office for Graduate Diversity to support students from all backgrounds. This PhD program offers research opportunities in biosystems and computational biology, cyber-physical systems and design automation (CPSDA), and computer architecture and engineering.

• Courses : Combinatorial algorithms & data structures, design of programming languages, and implementation of database systems.
• Credits : 24 units minimum
• Duration : 5.5 – 6 years
• Tuition : $6,132 per semester
• Financial aid : Fellowships, scholarships, grants, research stipends, loans, and work-study
• Acceptance rate : 17%
• Location : Berkeley, California

California Institute of Technology, Computing & Mathematical Sciences Department

The California Institute of Technology, also known as Caltech, is one of the most renowned technology institutions in the world despite its comparatively small size. This PhD program allows students to develop an in-depth understanding of and conduct research in areas related to mathematical and algorithmic foundations of computer science.

• Courses : Quantum cryptography, information theory, and network control systems.
• Credits : 135 units
• Duration : 6 years
• Tuition : $63,063  per year
• Financial aid : Fellowships, assistantships, loans, stipends, scholarships, and work-study
• Acceptance rate : 6.7%
• Location : Pasadena, California

Cornell University, Bowers College of Computing and Information Science

Cornell University is home to several famous technology schools, such as Cornell Tech, which conducts cutting-edge research to find solutions to the challenges of our modern, digital world. In this PhD program, students choose a minor from one of the 90 available fields outside of computer science to widen their knowledge base.

• Courses : Parallel computing, programming environments, and natural language processing.
• Duration : 12 semesters
• Tuition : $24,800  per year
• Financial aid:  Assistantships, fellowships, loans, and stipends
• Acceptance rate : 10.7%
• Location : Ithaca, New York

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, The Grainger College of Engineering

The Grainger College of Engineering focuses on research to improve quality of life through innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal engagement. In this flexible PhD program, students are assigned three committee members during the first semester. The student can then consult with these mentors to plan their studies to meet their career goals.

• Courses : Programming language semantics, machine learning for signals, and learning-based robotics.
• Credits : 96, or 64 if you already have an MS
• Duration : 5-7 years
• Financial aid : Grants, fellowships, waivers, loans, and employment
• Acceptance rate : 63.3%
• Location : Urbana, Illinois

Princeton University, The Graduate School

Princeton University is one of the top universities in the country in computer science doctorate programs. This PhD program involves studying six courses, including one each from the three main areas of Artificial Intelligence, Systems, and Theory, which form the program’s core.

• Courses : Programming languages, advanced computer systems, and information theory & applications.
• Credits : 6 courses
• Tuition : $62,860  per year
• Financial aid : Teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships
• Acceptance rate : 5.6%
• Location : Princeton, New Jersey

What Do I Need to Get a PhD in Computer Science?

For most programs, you’ll need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or a related field; however, exact eligibility requirements vary depending on the school. To earn your PhD, you’ll typically need to complete coursework, qualifying exams, and a dissertation.

What to Consider When Choosing a Computer Science PhD Program

Several US schools and universities offer PhD in computer science programs — choosing the right program for you can feel overwhelming. So, take your time and research the curriculum and specialties for different programs to make sure they match your areas of interest.

If you’re unsure about the areas you want to specialize in, I advise you to read research papers across different fields and discuss career opportunities with people in the industry. It’s also a good idea to look up the faculty from the programs you’re interested in and review their recent papers.

Here are some key factors to keep in mind when choosing a computer science PhD:

• Curriculum and specialties offered
• The program’s reputation
• Faculty, their specialties, and reputation
• Cost of tuition and other fees
• Delivery mode: on-campus, online, or hybrid
• Funding options

Related Reading:  Top 10 Best Online PhDs in Computer Science

Why Get a Doctor of Computer Science Degree?

A doctorate in computer science will equip you to become a leading researcher in today’s digital technologies. You’ll also be eligible for senior academic positions with a PhD in the field.

Furthermore, a PhD in computer science allows you to work in various respectable roles. Here are some of the top jobs and average yearly salaries for computer science PhD holders:

• Data Scientist – $99,710
• Chief Data Scientist –  $211,702
• Software Architect – $136,541
• Software Development Manager – $133,534
• Senior Researcher – $107,657

Approximately 2,000 students earn a computer science PhD from US universities each year. The industry demand is much greater than the supply. Furthermore, many PhD candidates are international students who return home after graduation. Therefore, graduates with a PhD in computer science are in high demand in the US.

PhD in Computer Science: Key Facts

How much does a phd in computer science cost.

Tuition varies depending on the program but generally falls between $15,000 and $60,000 per year. Besides the tuition fees, you will also need to factor in additional costs like academic fees, books, other educational resources, and living expenses.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD in Computer Science?

A PhD in computer science usually takes 3-7 years to complete.

What Skills Do You Gain from Doing a PhD in Computer Science?

A PhD in computer science allows students to develop leadership, problem-solving, and research skills related to complex topics like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics.

Key Takeaways

A PhD in computer science is one of the most in-demand qualifications in today’s hyper-digital world. It can equip you with specialized skills and knowledge to address modern tech problems with innovative solutions.

If you found this article helpful, take a look at our other guides, including the best Master’s in Computer Science programs , the top online PhD programs , and the highest paying PhDs .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a phd in computer science like.

A PhD in computer science typically involves research, coursework, thesis preparation, teaching, and seminars related to computer science subjects. Individual programs may have other requirements.

Can You Get a PhD in Computer Science?

Yes, many universities offer computer science PhD programs . You’ll usually need a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in computer science or a related field to apply.

Is a PhD in Computer Science Worth It?

While a PhD in computer science requires considerable financial investment, it is a valuable qualification in today’s tech-forward world. Plenty of job opportunities and high remuneration levels await a computer science PhD graduate, with the average annual salary of $133,000 per year.

What Does a PhD in Computer Science Do?

A qualified PhD computer science graduate may conduct research in complex computer systems, design and develop programs and applications, or study human-computer interaction to find innovative solutions for society. They may also work in academics, either in teaching, research, or both.

What Can I Do with a PhD in Computer Science?

With a PhD in Computer Science on your resume, you’ll be hired for roles like data scientist, software architect, researcher, or academic professor and build a prestigious, high-paid career.

Which Subject is Best for a PhD in Computer Science?

A wide range of subjects will qualify you to apply for a doctoral degree in computer science. Popular topics include data structures and algorithms, computer systems and organization, and discrete computer science mathematics. The best subject for you depends on your interests and career ambitions.

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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CSRankings: Computer Science Rankings

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This ranking is designed to identify institutions and faculty actively engaged in research across a number of areas of computer science, based on the number of publications by faculty that have appeared at the most selective conferences in each area of computer science (see the FAQ for more details).

We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of our sponsors, including Stony Brook University . Sponsor CSrankings

Prominent mentions of CSrankings: CMU ( 1 , 2 ) | Edinburgh | Michigan | Rutgers | Technion | Yann LeCun | John Regehr | Charles Sutton

CSRankings by Emery Berger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . Based on a work at https://github.com/emeryberger/CSrankings . Follow @csrankings for updates. Copyright 2017-2023 © Emery Berger

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2024 Best Computer Science Doctor's Degree Schools

College Factual reviewed 95 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for doctor's degree seekers in the field of computer science. Combined, these schools handed out 1,252 doctor's degrees in computer science to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Doctor’s Degree Schools List

Choosing a Great Computer Science School for Your Doctor's Degree

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their doctor's degree from the school. After all, your doctor's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

• Major Focus - How much a school focuses on computer science students vs. other majors.
• Major Demand - How many other computer science students want to attend this school to pursue a doctor's degree.
• Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
• Student Debt - How easy is it for computer science to pay back their student loans after receiving their doctor's degree.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized computer science related body.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for computer science students working on their doctor's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Computer Science Doctor's Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings , to help you make that decision.

Best Schools for Doctorate Students to Study Computer Science in the United States

Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in computer science. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

14 Top Schools for a Doctorate in CompSci

Every student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in computer science has to take a look at Stanford University. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a good choice for students interested in a doctor's degree in computer science. MIT is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Harvard University is a great choice for individuals pursuing a doctor's degree in computer science. Located in the medium-sized city of Cambridge, Harvard is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Harvard University

University of California - Berkeley is a great decision for individuals pursuing a doctor's degree in computer science. Located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a very large student population. More information about a doctorate in computer science from University of California - Berkeley

Carnegie Mellon is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Pittsburgh. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University

Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Cornell University

Brown is a large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Providence. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Brown University

Duke is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Durham. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Duke University

UChicago is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago. More information about a doctorate in computer science from University of Chicago

UIUC is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Champaign. More information about a doctorate in computer science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in computer science from University of Southern California

Located in the town of Hanover, Dartmouth is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Dartmouth College

Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Columbia University in the City of New York

Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. More information about a doctorate in computer science from Vanderbilt University

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Computer Science Doctor's Degree Schools award.

Computer Science by Region

View the Best Computer Science Doctor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in computer science, best master's degrees in computer science, best value in computer science, best for non-traditional students in computer science, best online in computer science, most popular online in computer science, best bachelor's degrees in computer science, best overall in computer science, highest paid grads in computer science, best for veterans in computer science, most popular in computer science, most focused in computer science.

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Computer Science Related Rankings by Major

One of 10 majors within the Computer & Information Sciences area of study, Computer Science has other similar majors worth exploring.

CompSci Concentrations

Most popular related majors, notes and references.

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• 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 the rest 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 ).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to Negative Space . More about our data sources and methodologies .

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Doctor of Computer Science Programs in America

1-25 of 110 results

MIT School of Engineering

Cambridge, MA •

Massachusetts Institute of Technology •

Graduate School

Massachusetts Institute of Technology ,

Graduate School ,

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

Stanford School of Engineering

Stanford, CA •

Stanford University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   3 reviews

Current Master's student: The best part about coming to Stanford are the people and the ability to find a group of friends who are interested in the same things that you may be very interested in . Coming from India, there is a large Indian community here such that I have never felt homesick. The campus does get a bit dead during the holidays but it is to be expected as people who do live in the USA, go back for vacations. Overall the professors are great and are leafing professionals in their respective fields doing some of the most fascinating research in the world. I would highly anyone to come here to experience this type o f workhand play hard culture that is fostered into this place. ... Read 3 reviews

Stanford University ,

STANFORD, CA ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Current Master's student says The best part about coming to Stanford are the people and the ability to find a group of friends who are interested in the same things that you may be very interested in . Coming from India, there... Overall the professors are great and are leafing professionals in their respective fields doing some of the most fascinating research in the world. I would highly anyone to come here to experience... .

Read 3 reviews.

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Harvard University •

Harvard University ,

University of Pittsburgh

Graduate School •

PITTSBURGH, PA

• • Rating 4.43 out of 5   74

Clarkson University

POTSDAM, NY

• • Rating 3.88 out of 5   41

Lehigh University

BETHLEHEM, PA

• • Rating 4.42 out of 5   19

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ •

• • Rating 4.33 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: The best part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the excellent faculty that teach the courses. They are incredibly knowledgeable and also very willing to help students in office hours or in sponsorship of projects. The worst part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the lack of structure for the graduate research program which can leave you feeling unsure on the direction of your research. ... Read 3 reviews

PRINCETON, NJ ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The best part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the excellent faculty that teach the courses. They are incredibly knowledgeable and also very willing to help... .

Pratt School of Engineering

Durham, NC •

Duke University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: New program, Financial Technology, is a comprehensive curriculum bringing together financial principles and computing. Interesting electives and flexibility to create your own tract, incorporating courses from all of Duke's colleges. ... Read 2 reviews

Duke University ,

DURHAM, NC ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says New program, Financial Technology, is a comprehensive curriculum bringing together financial principles and computing. Interesting electives and flexibility to create your own tract, incorporating... .

Read 2 reviews.

Brown University Graduate School

Providence, RI •

Brown University •

Brown University ,

PROVIDENCE, RI ,

• Find college scholarships

McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

Evanston, IL •

Northwestern University •

Master's Student: Northwestern's Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability is a first of its kind professionally focused master's program in the nation. Interdisciplinary by design, MSES covers the technical, policy, and business/economics of the energy and sustainability sector pulling professors from the Kellogg School of Management as well as the McCormick School of Engineering. The industry professionals are leaders in their respective fields and are always willing to help the students. The cohort focused program enables deep connection among the students that will last a lifetime! ... Read 3 reviews

Northwestern University ,

EVANSTON, IL ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says Northwestern's Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability is a first of its kind professionally focused master's program in the nation. Interdisciplinary by design, MSES covers the technical,... .

Vanderbilt School of Engineering

Nashville, TN •

Vanderbilt University •

Vanderbilt University ,

NASHVILLE, TN ,

McKelvey School of Engineering

St. Louis, MO •

Washington University in St. Louis •

Washington University in St. Louis ,

ST. LOUIS, MO ,

Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies

Hanover, NH •

Dartmouth College •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Alum: I had a beautiful life-changing experience at the grand Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. The Guarini graduate program MALS created so many beautiful opportunities in interdisciplinary learning. Guarini is well integrated within the College, which provides a unique world-class learning experience. Guarini went beyond my expectations and made this experience the best I had and will ever have in my life. The only thing I would like changed is having a GRAD diploma in Latin instead of English to keep up with College tradition. ... Read 1 review

Dartmouth College ,

HANOVER, NH ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I had a beautiful life-changing experience at the grand Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. The Guarini graduate program MALS created so many beautiful opportunities in interdisciplinary... .

Read 1 reviews.

Division of Engineering and Applied Science - California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA •

California Institute of Technology •

California Institute of Technology ,

PASADENA, CA ,

Physical Sciences Division - University of Chicago

Chicago, IL •

University of Chicago •

Master's Student: The masters in computer science at UChicago has an opportunity for students from nontraditional computer science backgrounds to take “immersion courses” to get up to speed before taking the masters level coursework, which is extremely inclusive programming. The program is also a top competitor and prepares students for professional careers. ... Read 1 review

University of Chicago ,

CHICAGO, IL ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says The masters in computer science at UChicago has an opportunity for students from nontraditional computer science backgrounds to take “immersion courses” to get up to speed before taking the masters... .

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Viterbi School of Engineering

Los Angeles, CA •

University of Southern California •

Master's Student: Best experience is that I have the ability to engage with other students and my professors in real time. My worst experience would have to be; moments of not being able to hear what is being talked about during a lecture due to classroom audio issues. ... Read 2 reviews

University of Southern California ,

LOS ANGELES, CA ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says Best experience is that I have the ability to engage with other students and my professors in real time. My worst experience would have to be; moments of not being able to hear what is being talked about during a lecture due to classroom audio issues. .

Cornell Tech

New York, NY •

Cornell University •

• • Rating 4.25 out of 5   4 reviews

Current Master's student: Cornell Tech has a fantastic campus, the programs here are very industry-friendly and the professors are very experienced. ... Read 4 reviews

Cornell University ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Current Master's student says Cornell Tech has a fantastic campus, the programs here are very industry-friendly and the professors are very experienced. .

Read 4 reviews.

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - Georgetown University

Nw Washington, DC •

Georgetown University •

Master's Student: The program is highly practical. The professors explain concepts in class and give us home works to submit on each topic discussed on a weekly basis. This enables us to grasp the concepts more. We are informed of the professors office time and so we can email them to make inquiries and get assistance when needed. We make presentations during class which train us to become more bold and be able to communicate the concepts easily. We are able to discuss and critic writings independently. We work on projects in groups of about 3-4 and discuss findings to the entire class and professor. We review research papers and make meta-analyses inform of class projects. The program is well structured and i am gaining skills. My worst experience is having to worry about Tuition and other related school bills. ... Read 2 reviews

Georgetown University ,

NW WASHINGTON, DC ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says The program is highly practical. The professors explain concepts in class and give us home works to submit on each topic discussed on a weekly basis. This enables us to grasp the concepts more. We... .

Tufts University School of Engineering

Medford, MA •

Tufts University •

Master's Student: The application process was smooth and post-acceptance I was welcomed into the Tufts community. So far, Tufts has been very communicative, especially about the return to school during the Covid-19 pandemic. ... Read 3 reviews

Blue checkmark.

Tufts University ,

MEDFORD, MA ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says The application process was smooth and post-acceptance I was welcomed into the Tufts community. So far, Tufts has been very communicative, especially about the return to school during the Covid-19... .

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

University of California - Los Angeles •

University of California - Los Angeles ,

School of Computer Science - Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA •

Carnegie Mellon University •

Carnegie Mellon University ,

PITTSBURGH, PA ,

Laney Graduate School

Atlanta, GA •

Emory University •

Master's Student: I chose the graduate programs at Emory because they are ranked among the best in the country. The school of nursing also provides the clinical experiences, something many of the online only nurse practitioner programs do not do. ... Read 2 reviews

Emory University ,

ATLANTA, GA ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says I chose the graduate programs at Emory because they are ranked among the best in the country. The school of nursing also provides the clinical experiences, something many of the online only nurse... .

College of Computing - Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

Master's Student: The masters data analytics program is VERY intense! I was warned that the online program would be just as intense as the in person program, but to me it's on a whole different level. I am only taking one class because I have a full time job and I am a single parent and I have had many late nights and early mornings. It's challenging, but if you love coding, I would recommended it. If you can get through COVID as a parent, I believe that there is nothing (like this masters program) that you would not be able to accomplish and be successful at it. ... Read 1 review

Georgia Institute of Technology ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The masters data analytics program is VERY intense! I was warned that the online program would be just as intense as the in person program, but to me it's on a whole different level. I am only... .

UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science

Berkeley, CA •

University of California - Berkeley •

University of California - Berkeley ,

BERKELEY, CA ,

College of Arts & Sciences - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC •

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill •

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ,

CHAPEL HILL, NC ,

P.C. Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science

Bethlehem, PA •

Lehigh University •

Lehigh University ,

BETHLEHEM, PA ,

Metropolitan College - Boston University

Boston, MA •

Boston University •

• • Rating 4.69 out of 5   13 reviews

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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ,

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Colorado School of Mines

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Computer Science Ph.D. Program

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The Cornell Ph.D. program in computer science is consistently ranked among the top six departments in the country, with world-class research covering all of computer science. Our computer science program is distinguished by the excellence of the faculty, by a long tradition of pioneering research, and by the breadth of its Ph.D. program. Faculty and Ph.D. students are located both in Ithaca and in New York City at the Cornell Tech campus . The Field of Computer Science also includes faculty members from other departments (Electrical Engineering, Information Science, Applied Math, Mathematics, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Computational Biology, and Architecture) who can supervise a student's Ph.D. thesis research in computer science.

Over the past years we've increased our strength in areas such as artificial intelligence, computer graphics, systems, security, machine learning, and digital libraries, while maintaining our depth in traditional areas such as theory, programming languages and scientific computing.  You can find out more about our research here . 

The department provides an exceptionally open and friendly atmosphere that encourages the sharing of ideas across all areas. 

Cornell is located in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. This beautiful area provides many opportunities for recreational activities such as sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, both downhill and cross-country skiing, ice skating, rock climbing, hiking, camping, and brewery/cider/wine-tasting. In fact, Cornell offers courses in all of these activities.

The Cornell Tech campus in New York City is located on Roosevelt Island.  Cornell Tech  is a graduate school conceived and implemented expressly to integrate the study of technology with business, law, and design. There are now over a half-dozen masters programs on offer as well as doctoral studies.

FAQ with more information about the two campuses .

Ph.D. Program Structure

Each year, about 30-40 new Ph.D. students join the department. During the first two semesters, students become familiar with the faculty members and their areas of research by taking graduate courses, attending research seminars, and participating in research projects. By the end of the first year, each student selects a specific area and forms a committee based on the student's research interests. This “Special Committee” of three or more faculty members will guide the student through to a Ph.D. dissertation. Ph.D. students that decide to work with a faculty member based at Cornell Tech typically move to New York City after a year in Ithaca.

The Field believes that certain areas are so fundamental to Computer Science that all students should be competent in them. Ph.D. candidates are expected to demonstrate competency in four areas of computer science at the high undergraduate level: theory, programming languages, systems, and artificial intelligence.

Each student then focuses on a specific topic of research and begins a preliminary investigation of that topic. The initial results are presented during a comprehensive oral evaluation, which is administered by the members of the student's Special Committee. The objective of this examination, usually taken in the third year, is to evaluate a student's ability to undertake original research at the Ph.D. level.

The final oral examination, a public defense of the dissertation, is taken before the Special Committee.

To encourage students to explore areas other than Computer Science, the department requires that students complete an outside minor. Cornell offers almost 90 fields from which a minor can be chosen. Some students elect to minor in related fields such as Applied Mathematics, Information Science, Electrical Engineering, or Operations Research. Others use this opportunity to pursue interests as diverse as Music, Theater, Psychology, Women's Studies, Philosophy, and Finance.

The computer science Ph.D. program complies with the requirements of the Cornell Graduate School , which include requirements on residency, minimum grades, examinations, and dissertation.

The Department also administers a very small 2-year Master of Science program (with thesis). Students in this program serve as teaching assistants and receive full tuition plus a stipend for their services.

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PhD Admissions

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The Computer Science Department PhD program is a top-ranked research-oriented program, typically completed in 5-6 years. There are very few course requirements and the emphasis is on preparation for a career in Computer Science research. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for admission in a Stanford graduate program, applicants must meet:

• Applicants from institutions outside of the United States must hold the equivalent of a United States Bachelor's degree from a college or University of recognized good standing. See detailed information by region on  Stanford Graduate Admissions website. 
• Area of undergraduate study . While we do not require a specific undergraduate coursework, it is important that applicants have strong quantitative and analytical skills; a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science is not required.

Any questions about the admissions eligibility should be directed to  [email protected] .

Application Checklist

An completed online application must be submitted by the CS Department application deadline and can be found  here .

Application Deadlines

The online application can be found here  and we will only one admissions cycle for the PhD program per respective academic term.

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Academics   /   Graduate PhD in Computer Science

The doctor of philosophy in computer science program at Northwestern University primarily prepares students to become expert independent researchers. PhD students conduct original transformational research in extant and emerging computer science topics. Students work alongside top researchers to advance the core CS fields from Theory to AI and Systems and Networking . In addition, PhD students have the opportunity to collaborate with CS+X faculty who are jointly appointed between CS and disciplines including business, law, economics, journalism, and medicine.

Joining a Track

Doctor of philosophy in computer science students follow the course requirements, qualifying exam structure, and thesis process specific to one of five tracks :

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Computer Engineering

Within each track, students explore many areas of interest, including programming languages , security and privacy and human-computer interaction .

Learn more about computer science research areas

Curriculum and Requirements

The focus of the CS PhD program is learning how to do research by doing research, and students are expected to spend at least 50% of their time on research. Students complete ten graduate curriculum requirements (including COMP_SCI 496: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Computer Science ), and additional course selection is tailored based on individual experience, research track, and interests. Students must also successfully complete a qualifying exam to be admitted to candidacy.

CS PhD Manual Apply now

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Download a PDF program guide about your program of interest and get in contact with our graduate admissions staff.

Request info about the PhD degree

Opportunities for PhD Students

Cognitive science certificate.

Computer science PhD students may earn a specialization in cognitive science by taking six cognitive science courses. In addition to broadening a student’s area of study and improving their resume, students attend cognitive science events and lectures, they can receive conference travel support, and they are exposed to cross-disciplinary exchanges.

The Crown Family Graduate Internship Program

PhD candidates may elect to participate in the Crown Family Graduate Internship Program. This opportunity allows the doctoral candidate to gain practical experience in industry or in national research laboratories in areas closely related to their research.

Management for Scientists and Engineers Certificate Program

The certificate program — jointly offered by The Graduate School and Kellogg School of Management — provides post-candidacy doctoral students with a basic understanding of strategy, finance, risk and uncertainty, marketing, accounting and leadership. Students are introduced to business concepts and specific frameworks for effective management relevant to both for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

Career Paths

Recent graduates of the computer science PhD program are pursuing careers in industry & research labs, academia, and startups.

• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Northeastern
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Rochester
• University of Washington
• Naval Research Laboratory
• Northwestern University

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• Adobe Research
• Narrative Science
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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What Students Are Saying

"One great benefit of Northwestern is the collaborative effort of the CS department that enabled me to work on projects involving multiple faculty, each with their own diverse set of expertise.

Northwestern maintains a great balance: you will work on leading research at a top-tier institution, and you won't get lost in the mix."

— Brian Suchy, PhD Candidate, Computer Systems

What Alumni Are Saying

"In the early stage of my PhD program, I took several courses from the Department of Economics and the Kellogg School of Management and, later, I started collaborating with researchers in those areas. The experience taught me how to have an open mind to embrace and work with people with different backgrounds."

— Yiding Feng (PhD '21), postdoctoral researcher, Microsoft Research Lab – New England

Read an alumni profile of Yiding Feng

"My work at IBM Research involves bringing together symbolic and deep learning techniques to solve problems in interpretable, effective ways, which means I must draw upon the research I did at Northwestern quite frequently."

— Maxwell Crouse (PhD '21), AI Research Scientist, IBM Research

Read an alumni profile of Maxwell Crouse

The theory group here is very warm and close-knit. Starting a PhD is daunting, and it is comforting to have a community I can lean on.

— Vaidehi Srinivas, PhD Candidate, CS Theory

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Computer Science, Ph.D.

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We have a thriving Ph.D. program with approximately 80 full-time Ph.D. students hailing from all corners of the world. Most full-time Ph.D. students have scholarships that cover tuition and provide a monthly stipend. Admission is highly competitive. We seek creative, articulate students with undergraduate and master's degrees from top universities worldwide. Our  current research strengths  include data management and analysis, cybersecurity, computer games, visualization, web search, graphics, vision and image processing, and theoretical computer science.

This degree program offers interested students opportunities to do their research abroad, under the supervision of faculty at NYU Shanghai or  NYU Abu Dhabi .

• View the Computer Science Ph.D. program flyer
• Admissions requirements for the Ph.D. Program.
• Find out more about general  Admission Requirements .

To receive a Ph.D. in Computer Science at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, a student must:

• satisfy a breadth course requirement, intended to ensure broad knowledge of computer science,
• satisfy a depth requirement, consisting of an oral qualifying exam presentation with a written report, to ensure the student's ability to do research,
• submit a written thesis proposal and make an oral presentation about the proposal,
• write a Ph.D. thesis that must be approved by a dissertation guidance committee and present an oral thesis defense, and
• satisfy all School of Engineering requirements for the Ph.D. degree, as described in the NYU Tandon School of Engineering bulletin, including graduate study duration, credit points, GPA, and time-to-degree requirements.

Upon entering the program, each student will be assigned an advisor who will guide them in formulating an individual study plan directing their course choice for the first two years. The department will hold an annual Ph.D. Student Assessment Meeting, in which all Ph.D. students will be formally reviewed.

Note: for pre-fall 2015 Ph.D. students, please see the pre-fall 2015 Ph.D. Curriculum.

Program Requirements

Details about Breadth and Depth Requirements, Thesis Proposal and Presentation, and Thesis Defense can be found in the NYU Bulletin.

Program Details

Each incoming Ph.D. student will be assigned to a research advisor, or to an interim advisor, who will provide academic advising until the student has a research advisor. The advisor will meet with the student when the student enters the program to guide the student in formulating an Individual Study Plan. The purpose of the plan is to guide the student’s course choice for the first two years in the program and to ensure that the student meets the breadth requirements. The plan may also specify additional courses to be taken by the student in order to acquire necessary background and expertise. Subsequent changes to the plan must be approved by the advisor.

Sample Plan of Study

In order to obtain a Ph.D. degree, a student must complete a minimum of 75 credits of graduate work beyond the BS degree, including at least 21 credits of dissertation. A Master of Science in Computer Science may be transferred as 30 credits without taking individual courses into consideration. Other graduate coursework in Computer Science may be transferred on a course-by-course basis. Graduate coursework in areas other than Computer Science can be transferred on a course-by-course basis with approval of the Ph.D. Committee (PHDC). The School of Engineering places some limits on the number and types of transfer credits that are available. Applications for transfer credits must be submitted for consideration before the end of the first semester of matriculation. 

All Ph.D. students will be formally reviewed each year in a Ph.D. Student Assessment Meeting. The review is conducted by the entire CSE faculty and includes at least the following items (in no particular order):

• All courses taken, grades received, and GPAs.
• Research productivity: publications, talks, software, systems, etc.
• Faculty input, especially from advisors and committee members.
• Student’s own input.
• Cumulative history of the student's progress.

As a result of the review, each student will be placed in one of the following two categories, by vote of the faculty:

• In Good Standing: The student has performed well in the previous semester and may continue in the Ph.D. program for one more year, assuming satisfactory academic progress is maintained.
• Not in Good Standing: The student has not performed sufficiently well in the previous year. The consequences of not being in good standing will vary, and may include being placed on probation, losing RA/GA/TA funding, or not being allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Following the review, students will receive formal letters which will inform them of their standing. The letters may also make specific recommendations to the student as to what will be expected of them in the following year. A copy of each student’s letter will be placed in the student’s file.

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Computer Science

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Computer Science is an area of study within the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Prospective students apply through Harvard Griffin GSAS; in the online application, select “Engineering and Applied Sciences” as your program choice and select "PhD Computer Science" in the Area of Study menu.

In the Computer Science program, you will learn both the fundamentals of computation and computation’s interaction with the world. Your work will involve a wide range of areas including theoretical computer science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, economics and computer science, privacy and security, data-management systems, intelligent interfaces, operating systems, computer graphics, computational linguistics, robotics, networks, architectures, program languages, and visualization.

You will be involved with researchers in several interdisciplinary initiatives across the University, such as the Center for Research on Computation and Society, the Institute for Applied Computational Science, the Data Science Initiative, and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.

Examples of projects current and past students have worked on include leveraging machine learning to solve real-world sequential decision-making problems and using artificial intelligence to help conservation and anti-poaching efforts around the world.

Graduates of the program have gone on to a range of careers in industry in companies like Riot Games as game director and Lead Scientist at Raytheon. Others have positions in academia at University of Pittsburgh, Columbia, and Stony Brook.

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20 Best Computer Science / Information Science / Computer Engineering Graduate Schools

Reviewed by David Krug David Krug is a seasoned expert with 20 years in educational technology (EdTech). His career spans the pivotal years of technology integration in education, where he has played a key role in advancing student-centric learning solutions. David's expertise lies in marrying technological innovation with pedagogical effectiveness, making him a valuable asset in transforming educational experiences. As an advisor for enrollment startups, David provides strategic guidance, helping these companies navigate the complexities of the education sector. His insights are crucial in developing impactful and sustainable enrollment strategies.

Updated: March 15, 2024 , Reading time: 12 minutes

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In this article, we will be covering...

Doctorates in Computer Science, Information Science, and Computer Engineering provide students with a deep understanding of the fundamentals of computing and how to leverage technology to solve complex, real-world problems . 

According to BLS, bachelor’s degree holders working as computer and information research scientists and computer engineers have median annual wages of $136,620 and $132,360 , respectively. With a doctorate, you can expect significantly higher wages.

Aside from its potential financial benefits, these computer tech- and engineering-focused specializations offer professionals the opportunity to make the world a better place through your profession’s impact on a wide range of industry types, from corporate businesses to disaster preparedness. You will also find a broad variety of specializations. 

Quick audio summary:

Computer-related positions are plentiful… Do your research to see which option is best for you!

METHODOLOGY

Many, if not most, of the programs featured have valid accreditation from the ABET or Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. All of the colleges and universities, furthermore, have valid accreditation from a regional accreditation agency recognized by the US Department of Education. 

We also considered other equally important factors, including: 

• A selective admission process combined with a rigorous curriculum, 
• Excellent institutional reputation, student support services, and graduate outcomes, 
• Advanced research components.

20 Best Ph.D. In Computer Science/Information Science/Computer Engineering Graduate Schools

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

PhD in Computer Science

CMU’s PhD in Computer Science allows learners to work with their faculty advisors as early as their second month! Due to its competitive nature, students are advised to enroll full-time to earn the degree within the estimated time.

The PhD program begins with an Introductory Course, followed by coursework, original research, and a thesis. Over the first two years, students master graduate material, organize original research, serve as teaching assistants, and receive periodic evaluations.

Stanford University

Stanford, California

Stanford has a strong computer science reputation, making their PhD among the best! Students gain more depth and breadth of knowledge than in many other Ph.D. programs partly because of the emphasis on original research. 

Students must complete the Breadth Requirement in Computer Systems, Mathematical Foundations, and Artificial Intelligence and Applications, choose two sub-areas, find faculty advisors, complete all requirements, and complete teaching requirements at any time.

University of California Berkeley

Berkeley, California

PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

The required credit hours for UC Berkeley’s PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences vary depending on the applicant’s educational and professional background, research interest, and specialization. Nevertheless, the minimum number of courses must be equivalent to 24 units, which includes 12 units in a major field and six units each in a major field in and out of EECS.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Urbana, Illinois

Illinois’ PhD in Computer Science is designed to be flexible and accessible to working professionals. One unique feature of this program is that it gives those with only a bachelor’s degree an opportunity to pursue a doctorate. The coursework consists of computer courses, seminars, independent study, and thesis research.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Students in MIT’s PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are expected to contribute to the university’s significant contributions to the world of computing. Students report that, indeed, it’s fairly easy to do so because of the above-par support provided by MIT through fellowships and assistantships.

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

PhD in Computer Science  

Cornell’s PhD in Computer Science features an interdisciplinary approach to the field, with faculty members from Applied Math, Architecture, and Computational Biology pitching in during research. The annual cohort consists of 30-40 students, and thus, small class sizes are the norm and contribute to more personalized mentoring.

University of Washington

Seattle, Washington

PhD in Computer Science and Engineering

Qualified applicants for UW’s PhD in Computer Science and Engineering are funded through fellowships, research and teaching assistantships , and departmental support. However, to receive funding, students must demonstrate excellent progress throughout the program. 

Student performance is measured during several milestones, from qualifying and general exams to candidacy. The latter includes preparing (i.e., proposal, research, and writing) and dissertation defense.

Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, Georgia

PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Georgia Tech’s PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering only accepts candidates with at least four years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree. The program comprises 18-hour core courses, 14-hour electives, nine-hour minor subjects, and a one-hour professional communications seminar and training on responsible conduct of research. The latter has two components – online training and a face-to-face class. 

It’s a highly individualized program that places great emphasis on the quality and impact of independent research. Students become advocates for advancing knowledge in digital signal processing, microsystems, and telecommunications, among others.

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

CalTech’s PhD in Computer Science allows students to gain specialized knowledge by pursuing a concentration in their independent research projects. If you are yet to earn your master’s degree, this program may be for you. 

It’s an integrated MS-to-PhD program where students who complete the first two-year phase receive a master’s degree and then proceed to the PhD phase. At least three academic years as a resident student is required of PhD students.

Columbia University

New York, New York

Columbia has a unique tuition structure for its PhD program in Computer Science. The Residence Unit, which requires full-time registration for a semester, serves as the basis for tuition charges, regardless of whether the student is taking individual courses. Students must pick a field of study in computer science, such as computer vision, natural language processing, and combinatorial optimization.

University of Michigan Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan

The PhD in Computer Science and Engineering at UMich has a stronger focus on research, particularly on contributing new ideas and innovations to the field. Pre-candidates with a bachelor’s degree earn a master’s degree after completing academic requirements, with a recommended time-to-completion of five years.

Applicants will be considered based on their exceptional research aptitude and prior research experience. Thus, students entering the PhD program with a master’s degree are well-advised to submit a master’s thesis .

University of California Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

UCLA, being the creator of the Internet’s foundation , offers a competitive PhD in Computer Science with several sub-disciplines. The curriculum includes specialization choices in artificial intelligence, software systems, and computer system architecture.

University of Texas Austin

Austin, Texas

PhD in Software Engineering and Systems

UT Austin’s PhD in Software Engineering and Systems is one of eight academic tracks offered as specializations in computer science. Students focus on the advanced theories and applications of engineering software systems, as well as their study and research. 

Applicants without a master’s degree in electrical and Computer Engineering may be admitted to the program. Students with only a bachelor’s degree can receive their master’s degree along their PhD journey.

Harvard University

Harvard’s PhD in Computer Science is an interdisciplinary program that teaches students advanced computational interactions, algorithm-related skills, and new theories and systems. The program offers Fellowships & Writing Center to help its graduates have a far-reaching impact beyond graduate school.

Graduate students pay a declining tuition structure with each stay in the program. PhD students receive fellowships and grants that will cover most, if not all, of the tuition and fees.

George Washington University

Washington, DC

PhD in Computer Engineering

The PhD in Computer Engineering at GWU is designed for practicing professionals. Students work with their faculty advisors to create their customized curriculum plan, choose a dissertation focus, and complete their dissertation. 

Students complete seminar and colloquium requirements to earn the degree aside from the minimum number of credits and dissertation requirements. At least one seminar and five colloquia must be completed.

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, New York

Although tuition seems high upfront, PhD students typically receive funding,  which covers a stipend for the academic year. This PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering is among the most customizable PhDs where students can pursue numerous electives, including Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Engineering Analysis, and Analytical Topics in Computer Engineering.

Students work closely with faculty in discovering new solutions and introducing innovations in the tech and engineering areas. Among these areas are machine learning and artificial intelligence, architectures, and devices for computing, and cyber-physical and embedded systems.

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

PhD in Computer Engineering  

Northeastern’s PhD in Computer Engineering program provides resources to help students pursue innovative research. While part-time enrollment is allowed, students are expected to comply with the academic requirements outlined in their study program. 

Many courses are available in in-class and streaming formats. Students can also pursue the Gordon Engineering Leadership certificate.

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

PhD in Information and Library Science

UNC’s PhD in Information and Library Science is a unique PhD program that seeks applicants with leadership potential who view information and library science as interdisciplinary. Full-time and part-time enrollment are allowed, but students are advised to be in residence either during the entirety of their stay or during the dissertation phase.

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey

PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering  

Princeton’s PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering is one of its largest and most funded programs. It offers full financial support for the entirety of your stay if you maintain satisfactory progress. 

Most students are accepted with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, physics, electrical engineering, or related disciplines. Successful candidates earn two degrees in the program: a master’s degree and a PhD degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, New York

PhD in Information Science  

If you can prove your exceptional research skills and are looking for a flexible online degree, you can consider UB’s PhD in Information Science. Although the program accepts applicants with diverse backgrounds, most of its students are working in libraries and other knowledge management organizations. 

There’s a one-week residency requirement to be completed every academic year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you expect from a doctorate in a computer science program.

Doctorates in computer science programs are typically Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs, aiming for career advancement in academia and research. These programs typically have the following features:

• Minimum requirements include a master’s degree, GRE scores, and STEM skills. 
• Learners typically spend four to five years meeting academic and dissertation requirements, earning 72-90 credits. 
• Specializations in human-computer interaction, computational biology, robotics, and machine learning are available. 
• Graduates have numerous career opportunities in computer networking systems, database systems, and advanced business intelligence.

What is a typical Doctorate in an Information Science program like?

Learners gain the knowledge and skills vital in tech-driven careers in information science through a combination of didactic coursework and dissertations. Many programs are designed to expand the breadth of understanding of the broad range of interdisciplinary research and the depth of expertise in finding solutions for cutting-edge issues. Graduates can then engage in advanced and applied research in information science. 

The curriculum covers data and information science, human-centered computing, and research methods, including statistics. The dissertation demonstrates the learner’s competence in a chosen specialization and the applicable research methods while also adding to the body of knowledge. 

Most programs are designed for completion between four and five years, but it can be longer depending on the dissertation’s progress. Note that there’s a cap or a limit on the number of years a learner can complete the dissertation requirements, usually seven years. 

What’s the best choice for a Doctorate for me?

Like all professional decisions, this one’s on you! However, there are several questions that you can ask when choosing between a doctorate in computer science, information science, or Computer Engineering. 

• What are your specific interests and career goals? 
• What contributions do you want to make to your profession? 
• What are your plans when you earn the doctorate? 

How will earning a Doctoral degree in a computer-related field help me advance in my career?

Earning a doctoral degree in a computer-related field can help you advance your career by giving you expertise in both the technical and theoretical aspects of the field. With a doctoral degree, you can become an expert in the field, allowing you to understand new approaches to problem-solving and design better solutions.

Many employers prefer to hire applicants with a doctoral degree, as it indicates a dedication to the industry and a commitment to pursuing excellence.

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We’re certain of one thing—your search for more information on picking the best graduate degree or school landed you here. Let our experts help guide your through the decision making process with thoughtful content written by experts.

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Us news grad rankings: mit no. 1 for engineering, computer science, and more.

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MIT was named the best graduate engineering school  by  US News & World Report,  according to the publication’s 2023 ranking of best graduate schools—a position it has held since 1990, when the magazine began ranking such programs.

In addition, MIT’s chemistry , computer science , economics (tie), and mathematics (tie) programs were also ranked No. 1, as well as six individual engineering disciplines:

• Best Graduate Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering Program
• Best Graduate Chemical Engineering Program
• Best Graduate Computer Engineering Program
• Best Graduate Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engineering Program (tie)
• Best Graduate Materials Engineering Program
• Best Graduate Mechanical Engineering Program

The MIT Sloan School of Management also ranked high, occupying the No. 5 position for the best graduate business programs (tie). In the rankings of individual MBA specialties, MIT placed first in four areas:

• Best Business Analytics MBA Programs  
• Best Information Systems Programs
• Best Production/Operations Programs
• Best Project Management MBA Programs

View US News 2023 rankings for MIT graduate schools and programs.

The magazine bases its rankings of graduate schools of engineering and business on two types of data: reputational surveys of deans and other academic officials, and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research, and students.

The  US News & World Report  rankings come on the heels of the annual world university rankings released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), which has ranked MIT as the No. 1 university in the world for 10 straight years.

Photo:  Gretchen Ertl.

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Is a Computer Science Degree Worth It?

Understanding the Numbers When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors — like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

If working with software, technology and a systems mindset interests you, computer science can be a great fit. It’s a field that offers many opportunities to work in cutting-edge technology and can lead to a variety of rewarding career paths .

What is Computer Science?

In addition to work at SNHU, Savard has extensive experience working in the computer science field in other ways. He served in the United States Air Force as an officer, both active and reserve, for more than 30 years. He also worked as a software engineer for many companies and owned a software company himself.

His experience in the field ranges from classified Department of Defense projects to maintenance workflow software, artificial intelligence, medical imaging, large-scale database systems, web development and many other types of software development.

At SNHU, Savard oversees the team responsible for computer science course development and management, among many other responsibilities with both faculty and students.

Is it Worth it to Get a Degree in Computer Science?

Computer science is highly in demand across all types of industry, Savard said.* In fact, the field is enjoying exponential growth, both with traditional companies and with cutting-edge start-ups, he said.*

Since earning his bachelor's degree in computer science from SNHU, LeBoeuf has put his own technological skills to work at his job in web development . To be successful in this role, he needs strong design skills coupled with the ability to put himself in the end-user's shoes.

LeBoeuf enjoys working in a profession that challenges him to keep his skills sharp. “What I love most about the computer science field is that you are constantly learning,” he said. “Technology is ever-evolving, and in computer science, we are (on) the front lines of this ever-changing field, trying to ... adapt our existing applications to new standards.”

Find Your Program

How hard is a computer science degree.

Any degree can be hard if it’s the wrong fit. While computer science is no doubt a challenging major for many due to its highly technical and mathematical nature, it’s a field that can be very rewarding for the right person, said Savard.

“It takes some time to develop the skills required (to be successful), but grit and persistence pays off,” he said.

As a recent graduate, LeBoeuf said, “I do think computer science (may) require more effort than other degrees ... but if you put in that effort and really enjoy what you do, it doesn’t seem hard."

Several skills that can be helpful for success in the computer science field, per Savard, are:

• Communication skills , which include teamwork, oral and written communication and creative thinking. " Soft skills are critical ," said Savard. You need the ability to speak to technical and non-technical stakeholders in an effective way, he said.
• Database management skills , which includes an understanding of systems thinking , software design and software testing.
• Math, which includes both applied and theoretical mathematical concepts such as algebra, calculus, discrete math and statistics, all of which are necessary to excel in this heavily technology-based career field.
• Passion for learning , which includes a desire to work in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment working on technology that has become central to most areas of our lives.

What are the Disadvantages of a Computer Science Degree?

There are likely some individual classes you might not want to take, just like with any degree program, but these classes may help you later on in your schooling and career.

For LeBoeuf, "Data Structures and Algorithms" was a challenge. “When I was taking the class my sophomore year, it was definitely not my favorite class ... but I stuck with it because I knew it was important,” he said.

Two years later, LeBoeuf was able to apply what he learned in this class by serving as a Lead Peer Educator at SNHU for the computer science program. Through this role, he was able to teach other computer science majors the material and help them along in their own schooling. Today, working in the field as a front-end developer, LeBoeuf continues to apply the concepts he learned in that class every day.

Do Computer Science Majors Make a Lot of Money?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows positive job outlooks for a number of professions suitable for people with a bachelor's degree in computer science.* These professions include:

• Computer Network Architects
• Computer Systems Analysts
• Database Administrators and Architects
• Information Security Analysts
• Web Developers and Digital Designers

Median incomes for these jobs range from $80,730 for web developers and digital designers to $126,900 for computer network architects, BLS reported.* Job outlooks for each are predicted to increase between 4% (the national average for job growth) for computer network architects and by as much as 32% for information security analysts over the next 10 years, according to BLS.*

According to BLS, you may engage in the following types of work, depending on your specific career choice:

• Create and maintain websites
• Design and implement data communication networks
• Design systems to hold and organize data
• Design ways to improve efficiency of an organization's computer systems
• Plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization's digital safety

While many computer science jobs require only a bachelor's degree to get started, if you go on to earn a master's degree, you may have even more career opportunities (SNHU does not currently offer a master's degree in computer science).

Working as a computer and information research scientist in software, research and development and computer systems design tends to be among the higher-earning computer science careers, as reported by BLS .* There are also many opportunities to work in the federal government, including the military, as well as academia. While these latter roles may not be as lucrative as more technological jobs, they still pay between $84,440 and $115,400, according to BLS.*

Is Computer Science Going to Be Replaced by AI?

It’s important to remember that AI was originally developed by computer scientists. Because of this, Savard said he feels confident that computer science as a discipline isn’t going anywhere. Instead, "AI will help us to progress more quickly in developing new technologies as well as automate some of the more tedious tasks that can consume part of our day,” he said.

LeBoeuf agrees that AI is a good thing. “People think that AI is going to take jobs,” he said. “(But) you still need that human aspect to every single job to make sure AI is producing what it's meant to (produce).”

After all, computer scientists are the ones who implement AI into websites and applications for people to use, LeBoeuf said.

“AI can revolutionize various industries by improving efficiency and decision-making,” he said. “Through the tons of data you give it, (AI) also might discover new patterns or insights that humans might overlook because of the amount of data (they have before them).”

Is a Degree in Computer Science Right for Me?

Everyone has their own motivation for choosing a career  field. If you have an interest in one or more of the following areas, you may find computer science a good path for you, said Savard:

• Continual learning
• Entrepreneurship
• Opportunities to make a positive impact on society
• Technology and problem-solving

Savard recognizes the unique skill set of computer scientists. He said that the ability to do things that seem like magic to those not in the field is very rewarding. Working first in the military and now in academia, he enjoys being able to put his skills to use educating others.

LeBoeuf's work is with a civil engineering firm. He enjoys the public involvement aspect of the field in particular.

“Putting yourself in the users’ shoes, and understanding where they would look for certain items on a website," is important and useful, LeBoeuf said.

The quickly expanding nature of the computer science field and the many avenues for learning and applying your skills are top benefits to a career in computer science.

Taking advantage of opportunities for collaboration and learning while in school can help prepare you for the rewarding computer science career of your choice.

Discover more about SNHU’s bachelor's degree in computer science : Find out what courses you'll take, skills you’ll learn and how to request information about the program.

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.

A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelli  is a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus – whether teaching or writing – is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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About southern new hampshire university.

SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs . Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU  page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.

Quick Guide: Your College Degree Options

There are generally four categories of college degrees: associate degree, bachelor’s degree, graduate degree, and doctorate or professional degree. Each category comes with its own particular subcategories, and there are some subtle differences between a doctorate and a professional degree.

If you ever find yourself lost in the sea of abbreviations for degrees, you're not alone. This quick guide is here to clear the air regarding the types of degrees available to you and what each one means.

Guide to College Degrees, Professional Studies & Certifications

Associate degree.

An associate degree is a two-year degree typically offered at community colleges, technical colleges, and career colleges. However, some four-year universities offer them as well. Examples of some associate degrees include Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS).

AS degrees are generally more narrowly focused and prepare students for science and math-related careers. AA degrees are broader and focus on fields outside of math and science such as liberal arts, business administration, criminal justice, and culinary arts.

Some students who earn an associate degree transfer to a four-year program to earn a bachelor’s degree. Others complete associate degrees and then go straight to work.

Bachelor's or Baccalaureate Degree

Bachelor’s degrees require students to complete four- or five-year programs in a specific academic discipline. The two most common types of bachelor’s degrees are bachelor of arts (BA) and bachelor of science (BS). Other types of bachelor’s degrees include the bachelor of fine arts (BFA), and bachelor of architecture (BArch).

Because bachelor’s degrees train students to enter a specific field, many professional careers require them. Earning a bachelor’s degree can open the door to many job opportunities and increase your potential income.

Some institutions offer a liberal arts and career combination program, also called a 3-2 program. This is a type of dual degree in which a student completes three years of liberal arts study followed by two years of professional or technical study. In the end, students earn two bachelor’s degrees, usually a BA and a BS.

An example of this is Columbia University’s 3-2 Combined Plan program in which students can earn a BA and a BS in five years.

Some colleges also let you earn a teacher certification by combining bachelor's degree study with state certification requirements. State requirements vary, but these programs usually feature professional education courses, including student teaching.

Graduate Degree

Graduate degrees are advanced degrees that some students pursue after earning a bachelor’s degree. The two most common are master of arts (MA) and master of science (MS). Other examples include master of fine arts (MFA) and master of business administration (MBA). A graduate degree is like an extension of a bachelor’s degree whereby a student further enriches their knowledge of their field and narrows their f ocus of study .

Graduate degrees usually take around two years to attain, but this can vary based on the degree. Many institutions allow students to enroll in a graduate program in a field unrelated to their bachelor’s degree. This may require some extra credit hours, though.

Professional Degree

Students earn professional degrees to become licensed to work in professions like medicine or law. The M.D. degree is an example. Professional programs generally require a college degree before you start them and then at least three years of study to complete.

Doctoral Degree and Professional Degree

The doctorate and professional degrees are the highest levels of education one can attain. They signify mastery of a subject and often come with the coveted title “doctor.” Although the two are similar, there are some important differences.

A doctorate or doctoral degree is a research-oriented degree focused on scholarly development. The most common doctorate is the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Despite the name, a PhD covers many disciplines, not just philosophy.

A professional degree is an application-oriented degree, meaning it prepares students for a specific working position. There are many types of professional degrees. Some examples are: doctor of medicine (MD), doctor of pharmacy (PharmD), and doctor of medicine in dentistry (DMD) in the field of medicine, and juris doctor (JD) and doctor of juridical science (SJD) in the field of law.

A graduate degree does not need to precede a doctorate or professional degree. Often, students will go straight into a doctorate or professional program following their bachelor’s, however some programs will require a master’s degree to gain entry. Completion can take anywhere from four to eight years, depending on the field of study.

Many doctoral students work either full-time or part-time while they study in the program. This, along with the field they are studying, will significantly affect the time it takes to complete their degree.

Joint Degrees

Some students may choose to pursue a joint degree, also known as a dual degree, which means they simultaneously study for a bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree. Joint degrees can be pursued in the same college or can be split between two different colleges. For example, Berklee College of Music and Harvard University offer a dual bachelor’s/master’s program in which a student receives a bachelor of arts (BA) at Harvard and a master of music (MM) or master of arts (MA) at Berklee.

Depending on the program, it may be possible to study at the same time for a master's degree and a doctorate. For example, the University of Southern California offers a program leading to doctor of pharmacy and master of public health degrees.

How do academic degrees go in order?

There are four types of degrees. In order of level of education, they rank as associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s or graduate degrees, and doctorate or professional degrees.

How many degrees are there in college?

Most community colleges offer only two-year associate degrees, while most four-year colleges offer bachelor’s, graduate, and doctorate or professional degrees. Some four-year colleges may also have associate degree programs.

How many years do you have to be in college to achieve certain degrees?

Though it will vary between academic disciplines, associate degrees usually take two years to achieve, bachelor’s degrees take four years, master’s degrees take two years, and doctorate or professional degrees can take anywhere from four to eight years.

What is an eight-year degree?

An “eight-year degree” typically refers to a doctorate degree or PhD. Although some doctorates can be completed in as little as three years, these degrees typically require more time studying highly specialized subjects. Students in these programs often must defend a dissertation while already working a professional job.

What are the four years of college called?

The first four years of college are the undergraduate years, and a student studying for a bachelor’s degree is called an undergraduate. The four years refer to the total accumulated credit hours; a student may take fewer or more than four years to attain their undergraduate degree.

What does a graduate degree mean?

A graduate degree or master’s degree is an advanced degree that some students pursue after earning a bachelor’s degree. Earning a graduate degree signifies mastery of a particular field of study and focuses more intensely on a subject than a bachelor’s degree does. Graduate degrees usually take two years to attain.

What do you call a master's student?

A master's student is called a graduate student or “grad student” for short. A student still studying for a bachelor’s degree is called an undergraduate student or “undergrad student.”

How many years is a master's degree?

Graduate degrees usually take around two years to attain, but this can vary based on the degree. Many institutions allow students to enroll in a graduate program in a field unrelated to their bachelor’s degree, although it may require some extra credit hours.

Related Articles

Universities Have a Computer-Science Problem

The case for teaching coders to speak French

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Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

Updated at 5:37 p.m. ET on March 22, 2024

Last year, 18 percent of Stanford University seniors graduated with a degree in computer science, more than double the proportion of just a decade earlier. Over the same period at MIT, that rate went up from 23 percent to 42 percent . These increases are common everywhere: The average number of undergraduate CS majors at universities in the U.S. and Canada tripled in the decade after 2005, and it keeps growing . Students’ interest in CS is intellectual—culture moves through computation these days—but it is also professional. Young people hope to access the wealth, power, and influence of the technology sector.

That ambition has created both enormous administrative strain and a competition for prestige. At Washington University in St. Louis, where I serve on the faculty of the Computer Science & Engineering department, each semester brings another set of waitlists for enrollment in CS classes. On many campuses, students may choose to study computer science at any of several different academic outposts, strewn throughout various departments. At MIT, for example, they might get a degree in “Urban Studies and Planning With Computer Science” from the School of Architecture, or one in “Mathematics With Computer Science” from the School of Science, or they might choose from among four CS-related fields within the School of Engineering. This seepage of computing throughout the university has helped address students’ booming interest, but it also serves to bolster their demand.

Another approach has gained in popularity. Universities are consolidating the formal study of CS into a new administrative structure: the college of computing. MIT opened one in 2019. Cornell set one up in 2020. And just last year, UC Berkeley announced that its own would be that university’s first new college in more than half a century. The importance of this trend—its significance for the practice of education, and also of technology—must not be overlooked. Universities are conservative institutions, steeped in tradition. When they elevate computing to the status of a college, with departments and a budget, they are declaring it a higher-order domain of knowledge and practice, akin to law or engineering. That decision will inform a fundamental question: whether computing ought to be seen as a superfield that lords over all others, or just a servant of other domains, subordinated to their interests and control. This is, by no happenstance, also the basic question about computing in our society writ large.

When I was an undergraduate at the University of Southern California in the 1990s, students interested in computer science could choose between two different majors: one offered by the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and one from the School of Engineering. The two degrees were similar, but many students picked the latter because it didn’t require three semesters’ worth of study of a (human) language, such as French. I chose the former, because I like French.

An American university is organized like this, into divisions that are sometimes called colleges , and sometimes schools . These typically enjoy a good deal of independence to define their courses of study and requirements as well as research practices for their constituent disciplines. Included in this purview: whether a CS student really needs to learn French.

The positioning of computer science at USC was not uncommon at the time. The first academic departments of CS had arisen in the early 1960s, and they typically evolved in one of two ways: as an offshoot of electrical engineering (where transistors got their start), housed in a college of engineering; or as an offshoot of mathematics (where formal logic lived), housed in a college of the arts and sciences. At some universities, including USC, CS found its way into both places at once.

The contexts in which CS matured had an impact on its nature, values, and aspirations. Engineering schools are traditionally the venue for a family of professional disciplines, regulated with licensure requirements for practice. Civil engineers, mechanical engineers, nuclear engineers, and others are tasked to build infrastructure that humankind relies on, and they are expected to solve problems. The liberal-arts field of mathematics, by contrast, is concerned with theory and abstraction. The relationship between the theoretical computer scientists in mathematics and the applied ones in engineers is a little like the relationship between biologists and doctors, or physicists and bridge builders. Keeping applied and pure versions of a discipline separate allows each to focus on its expertise, but limits the degree to which one can learn from the other.

Read: Programmers, stop calling yourself engineers

By the time I arrived at USC, some universities had already started down a different path. In 1988, Carnegie Mellon University created what it says was one of the first dedicated schools of computer science. Georgia Institute of Technology followed two years later. “Computing was going to be a big deal,” says Charles Isbell, a former dean of Georgia Tech’s college of computing and now the provost at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Emancipating the field from its prior home within the college of engineering gave it room to grow, he told me. Within a decade, Georgia Tech had used this structure to establish new research and teaching efforts in computer graphics, human-computer interaction, and robotics. (I spent 17 years on the faculty there, working for Isbell and his predecessors, and teaching computational media.)

Kavita Bala, Cornell University’s dean of computing, told me that the autonomy and scale of a college allows her to avoid jockeying for influence and resources. MIT’s computing dean, Daniel Huttenlocher, says that the speed at which computing evolves justifies the new structure.

But the computing industry isn’t just fast-moving. It’s also reckless. Technology tycoons say they need space for growth, and warn that too much oversight will stifle innovation. Yet we might all be better off, in certain ways, if their ambitions were held back even just a little. Instead of operating with a deep understanding or respect for law, policy, justice, health, or cohesion, tech firms tend to do whatever they want . Facebook sought growth at all costs, even if its take on connecting people tore society apart . If colleges of computing serve to isolate young, future tech professionals from any classrooms where they might imbibe another school’s culture and values—engineering’s studied prudence, for example, or the humanities’ focus on deliberation—this tendency might only worsen.

Read: The moral failure of computer scientists

When I raised this concern with Isbell, he said that the same reasoning could apply to any influential discipline, including medicine and business. He’s probably right, but that’s cold comfort. The mere fact that universities allow some other powerful fiefdoms to exist doesn’t make computing’s centralization less concerning. Isbell admitted that setting up colleges of computing “absolutely runs the risk” of empowering a generation of professionals who may already be disengaged from consequences to train the next one in their image. Inside a computing college, there may be fewer critics around who can slow down bad ideas. Disengagement might redouble. But he said that dedicated colleges could also have the opposite effect. A traditional CS department in a school of engineering would be populated entirely by computer scientists, while the faculty for a college of computing like the one he led at Georgia Tech might also house lawyers, ethnographers, psychologists, and even philosophers like me. Huttenlocher repeatedly emphasized that the role of the computing college is to foster collaboration between CS and other disciplines across the university. Bala told me that her college was established not to teach CS on its own but to incorporate policy, law, sociology, and other fields into its practice. “I think there are no downsides,” she said.

Mark Guzdial is a former faculty member in Georgia Tech’s computing college, and he now teaches computer science in the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering. At Michigan, CS wasn’t always housed in engineering—Guzdial says it started out inside the philosophy department, as part of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Now that college “wants it back,” as one administrator told Guzdial. Having been asked to start a program that teaches computing to liberal-arts students, Guzdial has a new perspective on these administrative structures. He learned that Michigan’s Computer Science and Engineering program and its faculty are “despised” by their counterparts in the humanities and social sciences. “They’re seen as arrogant, narrowly focused on machines rather than people, and unwilling to meet other programs’ needs,” he told me. “I had faculty refuse to talk to me because I was from CSE.”

In other words, there may be downsides just to placing CS within an engineering school, let alone making it an independent college. Left entirely to themselves, computer scientists can forget that computers are supposed to be tools that help people. Georgia Tech’s College of Computing worked “because the culture was always outward-looking. We sought to use computing to solve others’ problems,” Guzdial said. But that may have been a momentary success. Now, at Michigan, he is trying to rebuild computing education from scratch, for students in fields such as French and sociology. He wants them to understand it as a means of self-expression or achieving justice—and not just a way of making software, or money.

Early in my undergraduate career, I decided to abandon CS as a major. Even as an undergraduate, I already had a side job in what would become the internet industry, and computer science, as an academic field, felt theoretical and unnecessary. Reasoning that I could easily get a job as a computer professional no matter what it said on my degree, I decided to study other things while I had the chance.

I have a strong memory of processing the paperwork to drop my computer-science major in college, in favor of philosophy. I walked down a quiet, blue-tiled hallway of the engineering building. All the faculty doors were closed, although the click-click of mechanical keyboards could be heard behind many of them. I knocked on my adviser’s door; she opened it, silently signed my paperwork without inviting me in, and closed the door again. The keyboard tapping resumed.

The whole experience was a product of its time, when computer science was a field composed of oddball characters, working by themselves, and largely disconnected from what was happening in the world at large. Almost 30 years later, their projects have turned into the infrastructure of our daily lives. Want to find a job? That’s LinkedIn. Keep in touch? Gmail, or Instagram. Get news? A website like this one, we hope, but perhaps TikTok. My university uses a software service sold by a tech company to run its courses. Some things have been made easier with computing. Others have been changed to serve another end, like scaling up an online business.

Read: So much for ‘learn to code’

The struggle to figure out the best organizational structure for computing education is, in a way, a microcosm of the struggle under way in the computing sector at large. For decades, computers were tools used to accomplish tasks better and more efficiently. Then computing became the way we work and live. It became our culture, and we began doing what computers made possible, rather than using computers to solve problems defined outside their purview. Tech moguls became famous, wealthy, and powerful. So did CS academics (relatively speaking). The success of the latter—in terms of rising student enrollments, research output, and fundraising dollars—both sustains and justifies their growing influence on campus.

If computing colleges have erred, it may be in failing to exert their power with even greater zeal. For all their talk of growth and expansion within academia, the computing deans’ ambitions seem remarkably modest. Martial Hebert, the dean of Carnegie Mellon’s computing school, almost sounded like he was talking about the liberal arts when he told me that CS is “a rich tapestry of disciplines” that “goes far beyond computers and coding.” But the seven departments in his school correspond to the traditional, core aspects of computing plus computational biology. They do not include history, for example, or finance. Bala and Isbell talked about incorporating law, policy, and psychology into their programs of study, but only in the form of hiring individual professors into more traditional CS divisions. None of the deans I spoke with aspires to launch, say, a department of art within their college of computing, or one of politics, sociology, or film. Their vision does not reflect the idea that computing can or should be a superordinate realm of scholarship, on the order of the arts or engineering. Rather, they are proceeding as though it were a technical school for producing a certain variety of very well-paid professionals. A computing college deserving of the name wouldn’t just provide deeper coursework in CS and its closely adjacent fields; it would expand and reinvent other, seemingly remote disciplines for the age of computation.

Near the end of our conversation, Isbell mentioned the engineering fallacy, which he summarized like this: Someone asks you to solve a problem, and you solve it without asking if it’s a problem worth solving. I used to think computing education might be stuck in a nesting-doll version of the engineer’s fallacy, in which CS departments have been asked to train more software engineers without considering whether more software engineers are really what the world needs. Now I worry that they have a bigger problem to address: how to make computer people care about everything else as much as they care about computers.

This article originally mischaracterized the views of MIT’s computing dean, Daniel Huttenlocher. He did not say that computer science would be held back in an arts-and-science or engineering context, or that it needs to be independent.

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The best- and worst-paying college majors, 5 years after graduation

If you want to make the most money possible right after college, study to be an engineer.

As a major, it's the safest bet in terms of earning power. Engineering degrees occupy nine of the top 16 college majors with the highest incomes five years after graduation, a recent New York Federal Reserve study reveals. 

Computer engineering majors ranked first with an annual median salary of $80,000, followed by chemical engineering and computer science — the only two other majors that earn more than $75,000 annually.

They make roughly double that of the lowest-paid majors, which tend to be degrees in the liberal arts or humanities.

Here are the 16 highest-paying college majors, five years after graduation:

The technical knowledge, mathematical proficiency and problem-solving abilities required in engineering are valuable across many industries. As such, the profession tends to have higher salaries compared with other occupations.

In contrast, students who major in liberal arts, performing arts and theology earn the lowest salaries within five years of graduating from college, according to the study of full-time workers.

Graduates of all three majors earned a median annual income of $38,000, the lowest out of the 75 majors in the study. Other low-paying majors include leisure and hospitality, history, fine arts and psychology, all of which garnered median salaries of $40,000 or less per year.

For context, that's slightly less than the U.S. personal income median of $40,480 as of 2022, per the latest data available from the U.S. Census .

Here's a look at the 16 lowest-paying majors, five years after graduation:

With liberal arts degrees, graduates tend to be paid less overall for various reasons. For one, their skills may not be directly related to generating revenue, even if their vocation is a benefit to society.

Or, it can be a case of too few well-paying jobs compared with the number of graduates each year, as is the case for fine arts degrees . As such, the lack of demand can drive down wages.

Education majors tend to be paid less as well. While teachers have good job security, summers off and pensions, they're usually paid by state governments, which have lagged in keeping wages commensurate with inflation. In recent years, the "teacher pay penalty" has gotten worse, according to the Economic Policy Institute .

Data for this annual study was compiled from U.S. Census data from 2022, the most recent available. The study excludes students currently enrolled in school and is limited to a working population of those ages 25 to 65, with a bachelor's degree or higher.

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Doctoral students reflect on their journeys to becoming Ph.D. candidates and chosen paths of study

• Lexi Clatterbuck

25 Mar 2024

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Nicholas Corline is investigating how some of the smallest creatures can have a big impact.

“Our research is really saying that when you have these high populations of tadpoles, you create biogeochemical hotspots on the landscape, and these are your sites of elevated nutrient cycling and elevated carbon cycling,” said Corline, a fourth-year Ph.D. student studying forest resources and environment conservation.

Corline is one of 38 students in Virginia Tech’s Doctoral Scholars program who will be presenting their research during a poster symposium. The program’s annual event will be March 29 from 1-4 p.m. in Kelly Hall on the Blacksburg campus.

Led by the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS) , the program honors exceptional Ph.D. candidates interested in science and engineering with a competitive graduate fellowship. It currently has 38 students representing the College of Engineering , College of Science , College of Agriculture and Life Sciences , Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine , and the College of Natural Resources and the Environment . The program is supported by significant contributions from the Virginia Tech Graduate School  as well as various Virginia Tech colleges and faculty advisors.

Leading up to the event, Corline and two other scholars — Cecelia Wood, a third year Ph.D. student studying geosciences, and Wesley Woo, a second year student studying computer science — shared their insights about the program, their research, and what they hope to convey on March 29.

Why did you accept the offer to join the Doctoral Scholars program?

Corline: The main thing that made me partial to the fellowship is the idea that I have a lot of flexibility and freedom to explore my own research. I feel like there’s a lot of flexibility for me to go off on tangents and explore things, which are relevant to the project but still out there, without feeling bad about it. There’s also all the support that ICTAS gives – the professional development and a community of scholars – which is cool because it’s really diverse.

Wood: I think that ICTAS, especially within the Doctoral Scholars program, focuses on the intersection between basic scientific research and how we can apply that to society and today’s technology. I think that it was lucky because I see that in my research, and I came to Tech because I was a chemistry major and now I’m in geosciences; I wanted to switch from a basic science to a more applied science. I think it all comes back to that intersection.

Woo: It’s cool to be part of a public institution which has different research goals and funders than a private research institution. It’s really a privilege to not have to worry about funding for a couple years, to have access to ICTAS’s resources, so I can get a travel grant that I’ve used to go to conferences and share my work. 

What do you enjoy most about the program?

Corline: Everyone has a lot of pride in the school – in Virginia Tech itself – and their work. That makes it a fun place to work because everyone’s excited about what they’re doing. That’s the main thing I picked up. 

Wood: I think it’s the camaraderie. All of us have a passion in making sure that our research means something for the world. I talk to some of the scholars who are studying water availability and some who are looking at animal health and resources, and while all of that is different from my research, I think we connect with the passion of wanting to impact the world. What I also really appreciate about the program is the freedom to take risks in my research and pursue leadership opportunities that I wouldn’t have been able to because I don’t have to teach with the fellowship. I’m actually co-leading my own research symposium in my department, so I get to have the hands-on experience planning everything and coordinating committees. 

Woo: It’s honestly the freedom. I’m constantly reminding myself that it’s great not to have to worry about funding either through TA’ing [being a teaching assistant] or research assistant positions. There’s freedom to define my own path and work on problems that I think are important [and explore] work between disciplines and how people are approaching the same problem from different disciplinary backgrounds or angles.

What is the most challenging part of the program?

Corline: The toughest part about the program is that a Ph.D. is such a huge investment in time, and it’s easy to get bogged down in what you’re doing and not feel like you’re going anywhere because you’re accumulating all this knowledge and putting experiments together. That’s the biggest challenge – to not just keep motivated but just to keep going and know that you’re still making progress even when everything seems to be really slow.

Wood: I don’t know if challenging is the right word, but there are a lot of high expectations for us in the program because we were picked to be the best of the best. It’s nice to have high expectations because I like to strive and meet those expectations. We are also encouraged to not just be a good graduate student but to be a good citizen and to get involved. I would say it’s a challenge in the way that you want to receive it and meet it.

Woo: Just learning how to do a Ph.D. in general is challenging, especially because there are so many ways to do good, valid research – so many ways of working or thinking about arguments you want to make. It seems like an individual endeavor of finding your identity as a researcher, figuring out what problems you care about and how to make convincing arguments about these problems and what tools you’re going to use to make these arguments. With the freedom that comes with not having to worry about funding, is also, ‘OK, how should I be spending my time?’ I feel like there’s a lot of great ways to serve the community and learn broadly. A personal outlook I have on pursuing a Ph.D. is that, yes, there are tangible career benefits or technical growth that can come from doing a Ph.D. but also growing as a person, having new experiences, and learning new ways of thinking are all tied up in the process of becoming an independent researcher.   

How would you describe your current research?

Corline: I’m on one large project which is an interdisciplinary shared project between Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland, and it’s out on the Delmarva Peninsula. The overall goal of the project is to understand wetland carbon cycling and nutrient cycling. So like water level in these wetlands, how that changes through time, seasons, or years, or how that might change carbon storage, carbon release, nutrient storage, etc. I also have a strong interest in animal ecology, so I was able to bring how animals affect nutrient carbon cycling within the wetlands in conjunction with hydrology. So I have the hydrology project going on looking at these wetlands, and then I was able to do more of an ecology project coming in there looking at how tadpoles affect nutrient cycling in wetlands and how they’re an important contributor to carbon cycling.

Wood: My research is on heavy metal contamination in fresh water drinking reservoirs. It's close to home because I work with the Western Virginia Water Authority on reservoirs that are in Roanoke. These reservoirs serve as a backup water supply for Roanoke City and Roanoke County. We have the system that we know removes it, but we don’t know a lot about that process of how it gets removed and how much gets removed. So we look at those particles in the water and say, okay, this is the type of mineral which means it has these properties.We try to examine those particles to make our system better so that way we can remove even more from the water column and tell other people about it.

Woo: My main area of research looks at different barriers to internet use and high quality internet infrastructure. These barriers might not always be purely technological. One concept that I've been thinking about recently is social internet use - what are the ways people might rely on others to access the internet? This idea appears a lot in work on internet use in the Global South. But even in the U.S., once we leave home, we don’t have access to our home internet, so we might be using Starbucks' Wi-Fi or Virginia Tech Wi-Fi. Even if we’re at home, we may have bad internet and need to interact with our service provider or rely on other people's networks or cell phone hotspots to reestablish connectivity. I'm wondering how we can take the social nature of internet infrastructure use into account when designing the internet itself.

What are you presenting at the poster symposium? 

Corline: I’m going to be presenting my research on the tadpoles. In that landscape, we have all these different wetlands. There are thousands of these small ponds and some of them host frogs as breeding sites and they have tons of tadpoles in there. Our research is really saying that when you have these high populations of tadpoles, you create biogeochemical hotspots on the landscape and these are your sites of elevated nutrient cycling and elevated carbon cycling. So imagine that you have all these wetlands out there and they’re doing their [own] things. They’re breaking down leaves. They’re storing organic matter. They’re processing nutrients. But then, when you have these tadpole populations in there, it supercharges them, so you have much more breakdown. You have faster nutrient cycling and various effects on microbial activities.  

Wood: I have five years’ worth of data I pulled together. With that data, we can look at how much iron and manganese gets removed every year. We have a test reservoir and a controlled reservoir. The test reservoir has the system, and the control doesn’t, so we have five years’ worth of data that shows our system is effective. It speeds up iron and manganese removal and overall, does what we want it to do which I think is a great response everyone wants to see.

Woo: At the poster session, I'll be presenting ongoing work on the design of future cellular networks. In traditional cellular networks, your phone has one IP address and needs to keep this IP address as you connect to different cell towers. This design makes it difficult to move from one cellular network to another without seeing a significant disruption to your cell phone’s performance, which impedes the spread of smaller, community-owned and operated cellular networks. The work I’m doing now explores how the modern internet no longer needs to rely on this traditional cellular network design, as internet-connected devices can manage their own changing IP addresses more efficiently. If devices can indeed handle mobility by themselves, it will be easier for future internet infrastructure to be owned and operated by the communities it serves.

Some answers were edited and condensed for clarity.

Lindsey Haugh

• Clean Water and Sanitation
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• Computer Science
• Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
• Geosciences
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• Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science
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• Reduce Inequalities
• Virginia Tech Global Distinction

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA

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Though the Massachusetts Institute of Technology may be best known for its math, science and engineering education, this private research university also offers architecture, humanities, management and social science programs. The school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just across the Charles River from downtown Boston.

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Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

• #2 in Computer Science  (tie)

Carnegie Mellon University, a private institution in Pittsburgh, is the country’s only school founded by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The school specializes in academic areas including engineering, business, computer science and fine arts.

Stanford University

Stanford, CA

The sunny campus of Stanford University is located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. The private institution stresses a multidisciplinary combination of teaching, learning, and research, and students have many opportunities to get involved in research projects.

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

The University of California, Berkeley overlooks the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley, Calif. Students at this public school have more than 1,000 groups to get involved in, including more than 60 fraternity and sorority chapters.

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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL

• #5 in Computer Science

The University of Illinois is located in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign in east-central Illinois, only a few hours from Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis. The school's Fighting Illini participate in more than 20 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are part of the Big Ten Conference. The university boasts one of the largest Greek systems in the country, and almost a quarter of the student body is involved. It’s not hard to find something to do on campus with more than 1,600 student organizations, including professional, political and philanthropic clubs. All freshmen are required to live on campus.

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA

• #6 in Computer Science  (tie)

The California Institute of Technology focuses on science and engineering education and has a low student-to-faculty ratio of 3:1. This private institution in Pasadena, California, is actively involved in research projects with grants from NASA, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Cornell University

Cornell University, a private school in Ithaca, New York, has 14 colleges and schools. Each admits its own students, though every graduate receives a degree from Cornell University. The university has more than 1,000 student organizations on campus.

Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA

Georgia Tech, located in the heart of Atlanta, offers a wide range of student activities. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, an NCAA Division I team, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference and have a fierce rivalry with the University of Georgia. Since 1961, the football team has been led onto the field at home games by the Ramblin' Wreck, a restored 1930 Model A Ford Sport Coupe. Georgia Tech has a small but vibrant Greek community. Freshmen are offered housing, but aren't required to live on campus. In addition to its campuses in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia Tech has campuses in France, Ireland, Costa Rica, Singapore and China.

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Princeton, NJ

The ivy-covered campus of Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton was the first university to offer a "no loan" policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition.

University of Washington

Seattle, WA

• #10 in Computer Science

Located north of downtown Seattle, the University of Washington is one of the oldest public universities on the West Coast. It is also a cutting-edge research institution, receiving significant yearly federal funding, and hosting an annual undergraduate research symposium for students to present their work to the community. The university has a highly ranked School of Medicine, College of Engineering and Michael G. Foster School of Business. Known as a commuter school, the university does not require freshmen to live on campus, but it encourages students who do to conserve energy and recycle. Students can join one of the 950-plus student organizations on campus, including about 70 sororities and fraternities. Nearly three-fourths of UW graduates remain in the state post-graduation.

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Abilene, TX

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Founded in 1875, Alabama A&M University is a public institution.

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Montgomery, AL

Alabama State University, located in Montgomery, was founded by freed slaves. Notable alumni from ASU include Fred Gray, the attorney who defended Rosa Parks during the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Allegheny College

Meadville, PA

At Allegheny College in northwest Pennsylvania, students can choose from about 30 majors and must complete and present a capstone project their senior year. William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, attended Allegheny College in the 1800s, but legend has it that he was expelled for shoving a cow into the school’s bell tower.

American University

Washington, DC

Students at American University benefit from the school's location in the political hub of the nation. Washington, D.C., is a playground for the politically and socially oriented with its countless museums, restaurants, clubs and year-round events. The university, located in a suburban pocket of northwest Washington, is close to a stop on the D.C.-area Metrorail transit system. Rides downtown take about 15 minutes. Students at American have been rated among the most politically active in the nation, and there are more than 270 student clubs and organizations on campus. The school also has a sizable Greek system, with more than 25 fraternities and sororities.

Amherst College

Amherst, MA

Amherst College, a private school in Amherst, Massachusetts, is known for its rigorous academic climate. Because Amherst is a member of the Five Colleges consortium, students can also take courses at Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts—Amherst.

Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University is a public school tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Students at Appalachian have many programs, sports, and clubs to choose from, including the Appalachian Popular Programming Society, which plans campus events. 

Arizona State University

Arizona State University’s Tempe campus offers more than 200 research-based programs in the arts, business, engineering and more. The campus is located just outside of Phoenix, in the suburb of Tempe, Arizona.

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Auburn University

Auburn, Alabama, has been ranked one of the best places to live, and life at Auburn University can be similarly enjoyable for students. Football is a particularly big attraction in the fall, as fans support the Auburn Tigers with the help of school mascot Aubie the Tiger. The Tiger sports teams compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference, and the influx of football fans makes Auburn the fifth-largest city in the state on game days. Pep rallies are held in the downtown Toomer's Corner, and the area is covered in toilet paper by fans after every big victory. There are more than 500 student organizations on campus, and about 6,000 students are involved in the school's Greek system. Auburn freshmen ease into the college transition through Camp War Eagle, a two-day, overnight summer orientation program. Transition help continues on Hey Day, an annual effort to get students to wear name tags and say hello to one another. Freshmen do not have to live on campus; in fact, a dorm room isn't even guaranteed. Because of space restraints, first-year students are awarded on-campus living assignments on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Top Universities in Moscow

2024 moscow university ranking new, introduction.

What are the top Universities in Moscow? uniRank answers this question by publishing the 2024 uniRank University Ranking of 66 Moscow higher-education institutions meeting the following uniRank selection criteria:

• being chartered, licensed or accredited by the appropriate Russian higher education-related organization
• offering at least three-year bachelor's degrees or postgraduate master's or doctoral degrees
• delivering courses predominantly in a traditional, non-distance education format

uniRank aims to provide a non-academic League Table of the top Moscow Universities based on valid, unbiased and non-influenceable web metrics provided by independent web intelligence sources rather than data submitted by the Universities themselves.

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30 Best universities for Psychology in Moscow, Russia

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in Moscow ranked based on their research performance in Psychology. A graph of 406K citations received by 66.7K academic papers made by 30 universities in Moscow was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Moscow State University

For Psychology

2. National Research University Higher School of Economics

3. Moscow Medical Academy

4. Russian National Research Medical University

5. RUDN University

6. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

7. National Research Nuclear University MEPI

8. Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

9. Moscow State Pedagogical University

10. Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation

11. Bauman Moscow State Technical University

12. Moscow State Institute of International Relations

13. N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute

14. Moscow Aviation Institute

15. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

16. Russian State University for the Humanities

17. State University of Management

18. Russian State Social University

19. National University of Science and Technology "MISIS"

20. Moscow State Linguistic University

21. New Economic School

22. Russian State University of Oil and Gas

23. mendeleev university of chemical technology of russia.

24. Moscow Polytech

25. Moscow State University of Railway Engineering

26. National Research University of Electronic Technology

27. Moscow State Technological University "Stankin"

28. Pushkin State Russian Language Institute

29. Russian State Agricultural University

30. Moscow International University

Universities for Psychology near Moscow

Psychology subfields in moscow.