Welcome to our ranking of the top 50 computer science degrees for international students. Many of the challenges international students face when seeking to study in the U.S. are obvious, from the logistics of obtaining all the right paperwork and visas to dealing with admissions policies that often prioritize domestic students over international.
International students who want to study computer science should consider applying to many different U.S. schools if they have their hearts set on studying in the United States. If these programs are too expensive, you might also consider checking out our ranking of the cheapest colleges for international students.
Coding bootcamps have also become fashionable lately, with some colleges and universities running bootcamps. If you’re wondering what the difference between a computer science degree and coding bootcamp is, check out our article on the subject. Here’s what you can expect to learn in your computer science courses.
Featured Programs
However computer science is one of the best choices for international student. Not only is it home to some of the best paying jobs in technology, some of the best computer science programs in the world are in the United States.
Ivy League universities and technical colleges like MIT are known throughout the world as some of the most influential and important computer science schools. Programs at these schools are a double-edged sword for international students.
On the one hand getting into these programs virtually guarantees fantastic financial aid, something that is often lacking for international students at public universities.
On the other hand, these schools’ famously low admissions rates tend to be even lower for international students, so they are even more of a long shot. State universities, while easier to get into, often have high tuition for out of state students, and it is common for them to offer little to no financial aid to international students.
This ranking of the top 50 computer science degrees for international students takes into account factors like the percent of student population comprised of international students, tuition, average 20 year net return on investment, and distinguishing characteristics that set individual universities apart from the crowd.
More information on the ranking system and methodological reasoning behind it can be found at the end of this article.
Computer Science Undergrad Ranking for International Students
#1. Florida Institute of Technology
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 11
Taking the #1 rating among our computer science degrees for international students is the Florida Institute of Technology, where students will be able to do research in several of the specialized research centers.
These include the Harris Institute for Assured Information, Center for Software Testing and Research, BioComplex Laboratory, Computer Vision Group, and Laboratory for Learning Research.
Students will take classes like legal, ethical & social issues in computing, operating systems concepts, formal languages and automata theory, and fundamentals of software development.
Tuition: $39,290
Average 20 yr. ROI: $559,100
Percent of International Students: 33%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Highest percentage of international students in the country
#2. Fort Hays State University
B.S. in Computer Science
Rating: 9
Students in the computer science program at Fort Hays will find themselves well-positioned to pursue jobs with many industry leaders, including Apple, Boeing, Facebook, Intel, Netflix, and various federal intelligence agencies and national labs.
Students can also take an emphasis or minor in business, mathematics, geographic applications, physics, or networking. Some of the courses students will take include systems architecture, interactive systems design, software engineering, and networks and data communications.
Tuition: $13,657
Average 20 yr. ROI: $229,500
Percent of International Students: 29%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Lowest tuition on the list
#3. University of Tulsa
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 9
The Tandy School of Computer Science at the University of Tulsa has been recognized by the NSA as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations, Information Assurance Education, and Information Assurance Research.
Students graduating from this ABET-accredited computer science program will have professional opportunities in industries like game development, systems analysis, database analysis, software engineering, robotics engineering, and even have the opportunity to work with government organizations like the U.S. Secret Service.
Tuition: $39,521
Average 20 yr. ROI: $322,900
Percent of International Students: 27%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET-accredited, Program recognition from NSA
#4. University of California-San Diego
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 9
UCSD has a very large international student population and a top-notch computer science program. Students in the B.S. program can choose to specialize in bioinformatics, while the B.A. program is designed to allow students to pair the computer science degree with almost any of the programs in the Division of Arts and Humanities.
Computer science research areas at UCSD include artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, security and cryptography, human-computer interaction, and embedded systems and software.
Tuition: $38,238
Average 20 yr. ROI: $625,000
Percent of International Students: 20%
#5. University of California-Berkeley
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science and Engineering
Website
Rating: 9
There are two ways for students in this ABET-accredited computer science program to take multiple majors. One is to dual major, which takes advantage of the synergy between programs in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences to streamline the process.
The other is simultaneous majors, which allows the computer science student to select a second major outside the school. The main difference between the two is that with less overlap, it can take longer to complete a simultaneous major.
#6. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
B.S. in Computer Science
Rating: 9
You don’t have to be interested in working within the aviation industry to study computer science at Embry-Riddle. This ABET-accredited computer science program offers students the opportunity to choose from concentrations in applied mathematics, business administration, homeland security, or human factors.
Students can also choose to minor in any of the areas of study offered by the university, which include computational mathematics, cybersecurity, finance, flight, flight test and simulation, international relations, marketing, occupational safety, physics, robotics, and bioengineering.
Tuition: $33,218
Average 20 yr. ROI: $542,500
Percent of International Students: 15%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Distinctive aeronautics opportunities, ABET-accredited
#7. Princeton University
B.A. or B.S.E. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 9
Princeton University is in the process of revolutionizing computer science education. The school no longer offers live computer science lectures. Instead students consume the lectures through video online, and only meet up in classroom and lab settings for hands-on interactive and team exercises.
This change was partly inspired by the fact that computer science is one of Princeton’s three largest concentrations, with 56% of students taking at least one computer science course.
The computer science program revolves around a small core of classes, and is designed to leave students free to essentially design their own custom computer science program.
Tuition: $43,450
Average 20 yr. ROI: $795,700
Percent of International Students: 11%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Ivy league, Completely new and innovative model for computer science learning
#8. Georgia Institute of Technology
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 9
The ABET-accredited computer science program at Georgia Tech is flush with research opportunities in the schools of computer science, interactive computing, and computational science and engineering.
Students can engage in research involving computer architecture, information security, robotics and computational perception, social computing and computational journalism, high performance computing, and modeling and simulation.
Graduates of the program may have employment opportunities at companies like CareerBuilder, Torch Technologies, Diffbot, Bank of America, and Intel Corporation.
Tuition: $32,396
Average 20 yr. ROI: $721,300
Percent of International Students: 11%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET-accredited
#9. Stanford University
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 9
Students earning a B.S. or B.A. in computer science at Stanford University can pair their major with any humanities major. Even students doing the dual major still choose between the depth tracks available to computer science majors which include artificial intelligence, biocomputation, computer engineering, graphics, human-computer interaction, information systems theory, or a track individually designed by the student.
Undergraduates can get involved in research early at Stanford, although the requirements of individual research groups differ. Some require little experience while others need students with strong programming or math skills.
Tuition: $46,320
Average 20 yr. ROI: $809,700
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Widely considered one of the top two schools for computer science
#10. Illinois Institute of Technology
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
Students at the Illinois Institute of Technology can pair the computer science major with an additional B.S. in applied mathematics, biomedical engineering, computer engineering, or physics. Students also have access to two different B.S./M.S. programs, one where both degrees are in computer science, and one where the master’s degree is in data science.
Students will take classes in areas like discrete structures, data mining, information security, and mobile app development.
Tuition: $43,680
Average 20 yr. ROI: $561,200
Percent of International Students: 30%
#11. Carnegie Mellon University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
In addition to its computer science degree, Carnegie Mellon also offers a degree in computer science and the arts that is focused on the application of computer science technology to the fine arts.
Students can minor in neural computation, human-computer interaction, software engineering, computational biology, language technologies, machine learning, and robotics.
Undergraduate computer science majors will take classes like great theoretical ideas in computer science, computational discrete mathematics, graph theory, robot kinematics and dynamics, constructive logic, and computational geometry.
Tuition: $50,665
Average 20 yr. ROI: $688,500
Percent of International Students: 21%
#12. Purdue University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
Students in Purdue’s bachelor’s in computer science program will take classes addressing topics like web programming, competitive programming, bioinformatics, cryptography and security networks, and information systems.
Students can choose from among several academic tracks including computational science and engineering, computer graphics and visualization, foundations of computer science, machine intelligence, programming languages, security, software engineering, and systems programming.
Tuition: $28,804
Average 20 yr. ROI: $591,700
Percent of International Students: 18%
#13. University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
This ABET-accredited computer science program offers any student who is interested (even freshman) opportunities to become involved in groundbreaking research in the areas of scientific computing, database and information systems, artificial intelligence, and bioinformatics and computational biology.
The degree options are also flexible. Students can go into computer science, math & computer science, statistics & computer science, or pair computer science with most of the undergraduate programs in the college of arts and sciences.
Tuition: $30,214
Average 20 yr. ROI: $551,200
Percent of International Students: 15%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET-accredited
#14. University of Washington
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
The computer science program at the University of Washington has an industry affiliate program designed to facilitate collaboration between the university and industry on research and student employment opportunities.
Among the corporate affiliate members are Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Bungie, Cisco Systems, IBM, Hulu, Google, Nike, and Pixar. A majority of undergraduate students engage in research at UW in areas like big data, data management, robotics, security and privacy, systems and networking, human computer interaction, and computational and synthetic biology.
Among computer science degrees for international students, University of Washington offers great access to industry partners.
Tuition: $34,143
Average 20 yr. ROI: $523,800
Percent of International Students: 15%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Strong corporate affiliate program
#15. Brown University
B.A. or B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
At Brown, undergraduate upperclassmen in the computer science program can collaborate on research and work within the department as teaching assistants, gaining valuable experience while playing an important role in the education of freshman and sophomores in the program.
Students can choose between concentrations in computer science, applied math, computational biology, and computer science and economics. Even undergraduates at Brown can find positions as paid research assistants, or earn academic credit for research work by enrolling in independent study projects.
Tuition: $49,346
Average 20 yr. ROI: $723,900
Percent of International Students: 12%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Ivy League
#16. Rice University
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
Computer science students at Rice will have access to excellent internship opportunities. The unique Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers program places students with emerging Silicon Valley startups. Students have also interned at Amazon, Google, Facebook, and many of the major U.S. energy companies.
Undergraduates have many paths through which they may become involved in research in areas like algorithms and artificial intelligence, computer engineering and systems, and programming languages and software engineering.
Tuition: $42,253
Average 20 yr. ROI: $708,400
Percent of International Students: 12%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers internship program
#17. Harvard University
Double Major in Computer Science and Another Field
Website
Rating: 8
Harvard requires undergraduates to take computer science as a concentration or as a secondary field major. This is an innovative way of making sure students don’t find their options too limited upon graduation.
Harvard has many ways for undergraduates to get involved with research, including options to work with faculty on research during the semester or to devote summers to internships and jobs that involve research with institutions like Lincoln Labs/MIT, DAAD RISE in Germany, the NSA, and AT&T.
Tuition: $45,278
Average 20 yr. ROI: $646,100
Percent of International Students: 11%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Ivy League Reputation, Requires Double Major
#18. Cornell University
B.A. or B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
Cornell University conducts computer science research in some of the most cutting edge areas of the field which include artificial intelligence, robotics, security, and human interaction. Students can choose between two different computer science degrees, the B.S. from the College of Engineering, and the B.A. from the College of Arts and Sciences.
The main factor when choosing between these majors is secondary interests. Students primarily interested in hardware and taking classes that will help apply computer science to engineering fields should take the B.S. while students interested in applying computer science to fields outside engineering like linguistics or music should choose the B.A. program.
Tuition: $49,116
Average 20 yr. ROI: $600,000
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Ivy league reputation
#19. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering
Website
Rating: 8
MIT offers B.S. degrees in computer science and engineering, computer science and molecular biology, and electrical engineering and computer science. Undergraduates can engage in research in multiple ways at MIT, either through independent research and study, or their Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
Computer science students can find research opportunities in most of the areas of study at MIT, including business, engineering, media laboratories, brain and cognitive sciences, and urban studies and planning.
Tuition: $46,704
Average 20 yr. ROI: $798,500
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Considered by most education authorities to be the best computer science university in the world
#20. SUNY-Binghamton University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 8
The ABET-accredited computer science program at SUNY-Binghamton offers exceptional students two fast-track dual degree programs: one is a B.S./M.S. in computer science, and the other is a B.S. in computer science and an MBA.
Students at SUNY-Binghamton have had the opportunity to intern with companies and government organizations like 3M, Boeing, the LA Times, Walt Disney World, Capital One, The White House, U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. State Department.
Tuition: $22,173
Average 20 yr. ROI: $526,900
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Unique CS/MBA fast track program
#21. New York University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
NYU does research in the areas of algorithms and theory, computational biology, machine learning, scientific computing, formal methods and verification, and networks, operating and distributing systems. Students can major purely in computer science or choose to pair it with a major in either mathematics or economics.
Excellent students in any of those three programs may qualify for the honors program which requires the student to participate in research that culminates in an honors thesis and is presented at the dean’s undergraduate research conference.
Tuition: $47,750
Average 20 yr. ROI: $433,700
Percent of International Students: 15%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Joint program in economics and computer science, research intensive honors program
#22. Emory University
B.A. or B.S. Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
Emory offers students plenty of unique opportunities. Students can take advantage of the opportunity to double major in computer science and math, or minor in informatics.
Exceptionally driven and qualified students can take advantage of a four year B.S./M.S. program. Another unique opportunity is both interdisciplinary and cooperative with another top school, Georgia Tech.
Students can enter a dual degree program, selecting computer science from Emory, and earning an engineering degree in any engineering discipline from Georgia Tech at the same time.
Tuition: $48,280
Average 20 yr. ROI: $405,400
Percent of International Students: 15%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Four Year B.S./M.S., Dual Degree Program with Georgia Tech
#23. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
Graduates of the computer science program at Worcester Polytechnic have landed jobs at several major companies and government organisations including eBay, Cisco Systems, Fidelity, Google, IBM, Intel, MIT Lincoln Lab, NASA, NVIDIA, and Twitter.
Undergraduates will have the opportunity to engage in research in areas like artificial intelligence in design, automated deduction, collaborative filtering, combinatorics, computer games, mobile computing, robotics, and machine learning.
Tuition: $45,590
Average 20 yr. ROI: $722,100
Percent of International Students: 13%
#24. Columbia University
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
Students at Columbia have a number of great choices when it comes to computer science. The most basic is to choose between B.A. and B.S. programs. Columbia also offers two interdepartmental majors, pairing computer science with statistics in one, and with mathematics in the other.
The undergraduate research involvement program at Columbia gives undergraduates the opportunity to work on research in mobile robotics, computer vision, tactile sensing, 3d modeling, computer architecture, game theory, and computational complexity theory to name just a few of the available options.
Tuition: $53,000
Average 20 yr. ROI: $591,400
Percent of International Students: 13%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Ivy League Reputation, Two Interdepartmental Majors Available
#25. University of Pennsylvania
BSE in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
Students at UPenn can pursue computer science in two ways. Students can take the ABET-accredited BSE in Computer Science as their primary major in the College of Engineering, while students in the College of Arts and Sciences can add a computer science major as a secondary major.
Some of the courses students will encounter along the way include curves and surfaces: theory and applications, machine learning, artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, bioinformatics, computational biology, cryptography, and quantum computer and information science.
Tuition: $49,241
Average 20 yr. ROI: $659,000
Percent of International Students: 11%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Ivy league reputation.
#26. SUNY-Stony Brook University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
Undergraduate students interested in computer science research will be delighted to know that Stony Brook was one of just ten universities to receive a National Science Foundation award for integrating research into undergraduate education.
Some of the research areas available to students are big data, intelligent systems, programming languages, smart energy, architecture and operating systems, and information management.
Students who maintain a 3.25 GPA and complete at least three upper division courses early will be eligible to apply to the five-year accelerated B.S./M.S. program.
Tuition: $23,935
Average 20 yr. ROI: $386,400
Percent of International Students: 11%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET Accredited, NSF Undergraduate Research Award
#27. Duke University
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
Students in Duke University’s computer science program are encouraged to double, or even triple major. This is because Duke has recognized that computer science is increasingly relevant in most industries and professions that exist today, and so can be paired successfully with almost any other major.
Distinguished students can apply for the Computer Science Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (C-SURF) and cap off their studies with a faculty-sponsored research project.
Duke does computer science research in geometric computing, internet systems, networking and security, biological computing and nanotechnologies, memory systems and massive data management.
Tuition: $49,241
Average 20 yr. ROI: $619,200
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: C-SURF Program
#28. Johns Hopkins University
B.A. or B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
The B.S. in Computer Science program at Johns Hopkins is ABET-accredited while the B.A. is not. This is because the B.S. program is for students who are more focused on the engineering side while the B.A. program is for students who want to pair their computer science education with other fields.
Students may choose from eleven program tracks which include interactive systems, computational biology, big data, video game design, business computing, information security, and software engineering.
Tuition: $48,710
Average 20 yr. ROI: $589,700
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET Accredited, 11 Program Tracks
#29. Yale University
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
Yale offers extensive interdisciplinary options to computer science students. The three available combined majors pair computer science with electrical engineering, mathematics, or psychology. Students in those combined programs can also choose to earn a full second degree in the area they pair with computer science.
The B.S. program is designed for students who want to continue in the computing field proper after graduation, while the B.A. in computer science program is for students who intend to go into another field like finance, law, or medicine.
Tuition: $47,600
Average 20 yr. ROI: $578,500
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Prestigious Ivy League reputation, fantastic interdisciplinary opportunities
#30. Tennessee Technological University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 7
The computer science program at Tennessee Technological University offers concentrations in software and scientific applications, data science, and cyber security (information assurance and security).
Students with an overall GPA of 3.25 (3.5 in computer science classes) can take up to six credits of graduate coursework in their senior year that will help them jump-start graduate school.
Students will take courses like matrix algebra, systems programming, database management systems, operating systems, computer architecture, and information assurance and cryptography.
Tuition: $23,443
Average 20 yr. ROI: $439,400
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET-accredited Computer Science Degree
#31. Northeastern University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 6
Computer science students at Northeastern University can choose a concentration in cyber operations if they are interested in the security end of the field. Students can also choose to pursue a combined B.S./M.S. with an additional year of study, and there is a combined major for computer science and information science as well.
Other interdisciplinary opportunities offer computer science students the opportunity to combine their major with their choice of sixteen other majors including digital art, communication studies, interactive media, music composition, business, computer engineering, linguistics, biology, physics, and cognitive psychology.
Tuition: $45,530
Average 20 yr. ROI: $462,700
Percent of International Students: 19%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Computer Science can combine with sixteen different majors at Northeastern
#32. New York Institute of Technology
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 6
The bachelor’s in computer science program at NYIT features concentrations in network security and big data management, though students are not required to take a concentration. The school’s Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center enables undergraduates to engage in research in the areas of cybersecurity, healthcare, and energy.
Undergraduate students have even had research lead to publication in peer reviewed journals and presented research at major industry conferences.
Tuition: $33,480
Average 20 yr. ROI: $433,700
Percent of International Students: 18%
#33. Drexel University
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 6
Both the B.A. and B.S. degrees in computer science at Drexel are accredited by ABET. Students can choose between concentrations in game programming and development and computer security, or just pursue a generalist degree or a minor in a related field.
Drexel also offers a traditional five year B.S./M.S. for qualified students in the computer science track. However, it should be noted that in order to make the B.S./M.S. track work, students can’t have transferred into the university.
Students will take classes like systems programming, computer ethics, data structures, and software engineering.
#34. Boston University
B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 5
Students majoring in computer science at Boston University will take courses like geometrical algorithms, elements in the theory of computation, and probability in computing. The BA/MS program is exceptional in that it allows highly qualified students to earn their master’s by adding as little as one semester to their four year undergraduate program.
Boston University has several computer science research groups working in areas like security, operating systems and services, image and video computing, and networks research.
Tuition: $48,436
Average 20 yr. ROI: $380,800
Percent of International Students: 19%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Exceptional B.A./M.S. Program
#35. Madonna University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 5
Madonna University is not a research university, which is great for students looking for a practical, teaching-oriented program. Small class sizes give students a chance to develop more intimate relationships with their professors who all have real-world computer science experience.
Students will take classes on operating systems, algorithms, web programming, advanced mobile application programming, artificial intelligence, mobile game programming, and language theory.
Tuition: $18,740
Average 20 yr. ROI: $159,600
Percent of International Students: 16%
#36. Michigan State University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 5
Students in the ABET-accredited computer science program at Michigan State University go through a special capstone experience where they will work in a team environment to deliver a software project for a corporate client.
The capstone experience helps students develop both computer science and business written and oral communication skills.
Among the many research areas at Michigan State are biometrics, digital evolution, embodied intelligence, language interaction and knowledge discovery, and software engineering and network systems.
Tuition: $36,360
Average 20 yr. ROI: $409,400
Percent of International Students: 13%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET Accredited
#37. University of California-Los Angeles
B.S. in Computer Science or Computer Science and Engineering
Website
Rating: 5
Students earning their B.S. in computer science at UCLA have the opportunity to engage in internships with companies like The Aerospace Corporation, Boeing, Broadcom, Foxconn Electronics, Hitachi, Lockheed Martin, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony, Cisco Systems, Yahoo! and Google.
Research groups and labs at the university include the Automated Reasoning Group, Biocybernetics lab, Computational Genetics Lab, Internet Research Lab, Software Systems Group, and Web Information Systems Lab.
The computer science and computer science and engineering programs are both ABET-accredited.
Tuition: $37,471
Average 20 yr. ROI: $386,000
Percent of International Students: 13%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET Accredited
#38. University of California-Davis
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 5
Students in the ABET-accredited computer science program at UC Davis can minor in computational biology. It’s also very common for students who are majoring in mathematical, physical, and biological sciences, or even social sciences, arts, and humanities, to minor in computer science.
UC Davis features several research groups which focus on areas of computer science like computer graphics and visualization, computer security, database and information systems, networks, and computer science theory.
Tuition: $38,659
Average 20 yr. ROI: $395,800
Percent of International Students: 12%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET Accredited
#39. University of Iowa
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 5
The B.S. in computer science degree at the University of Iowa offers a program focused primarily on in-depth computer science study. The B.A. program on the other hand has more freedom which allows students to double major or take a more intensive minor in related fields. S
tudents will take classes like programming for informatics, discrete structures, human computer interaction, networking and security for informatics, theory of computation, and logic in computer science.
The university also delves into computer science research in the areas of computational epidemiology, computational logic, and machine learning and optimization.
Tuition: $27,890
Average 20 yr. ROI: $392,000
Percent of International Students: 11%
#40. University of Chicago
B.A. or B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 5
Both B.A. and B.S. computer science students can take a dual degree program to earn an M.S. in computer science. Students will have the opportunity to take courses like functional programming, operating systems, mobile computing, discrete mathematics, computational linguistics, artificial intelligence, digital fabrication, and game construction.
The University of Chicago is home to CERES, a center for creating new foundations for unstoppable computing, which is focused on creating longer lasting, higher quality computers. For eight years in a row the University of Chicago competitive programming team has advanced to the world finals, putting them in the top 128 out of 12,000 teams.
Tuition: $51,351
Average 20 yr. ROI: $458,000
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: High level competition team
#41. Pennsylvania State University-University Park
B.S. in Computer Science
Pennsylvania State University is one of the top research universities in the United States. Areas of research in computer science at Penn State include computational biology and biomedicine, control systems, communications networking, and theoretical computer science.
International students will find the engineering outreach and inclusion initiative is designed to aid multicultural students through scholarships and retention programs. Students can minor in nanotechnology, business, economics, information science and technology, math, and physics.
Tuition: $31,346
Average 20 yr. ROI: $398,000
Percent of International Students: 10%
Distinguishing Characteristics: The Center for Engineering Outreach and Inclusion
#42. Suffolk University
Bachelor’s in Computer Science
Rating: 4
Suffolk’s Boston location is just a quick ride from a technological hub that is home to companies like Akamai Technologies, Amazon, Google, ITA Software, and Yahoo, providing students with ample opportunity to find internships and employment as they earn their degree.
Students of this computer science program have gone into numerous industries including engineering, advertising, television and film production, and video game design. Recent graduates have found jobs working at Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, Zynga, and Nokia.
Tuition: $33,934
Average 20 yr. ROI: $79,000
Percent of International Students: 22%
#43. University of San Francisco
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 4
The advantageous geographical location of the University of San Francisco allows the extensive alumni network throughout Silicon Valley to provide ample opportunity for internships and employment to USF students.
You will find USF alumni working for numerous companies from industry startups to established titans like Salesforce and Open DNS. One of the school’s professors also serves as Chief Scientist at Snap Logic.
Computer science students at USF will take classes like automata theory, parallel programming, and data structures and algorithms.
Tuition: $42,634
Average 20 yr. ROI: $399,700
Percent of International Students: 19%
#44. University of Rochester
B.S. or B.A. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 4
Students in the computer science program at the University of Rochester can choose from eight clusters that allow them to explore the application of computer science to a specific field like social sciences, art, and business.
Computer science students are eligible to apply to the special Take Five Scholars program. If they are accepted they will be able to pursue broader academic interests in a tuition-free fifth year of study.
Tuition: $46,314
Average 20 yr. ROI: $291,000
Percent of International Students: 17%
Distinguishing Characteristics: Take Five Scholars Program
#45. University of Evansville
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 4
The ABET-accredited computer science program at Evansville allows many students the opportunity to work one on one with professors through independent study. In the final two years of the program students will acquire the skills to design and implement computer software systems for both scientific and industrial applications.
Graduates of the Evansville computer science program have found employment with the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center, Whirlpool Corporation, Boeing, Toyota, Western Digital, and iRobot Corporation.
Students have gone on to graduate programs at Cornell, Tufts, Duke, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Tuition: $32,946
Average 20 yr. ROI: $202,300
Percent of International Students: 14%
Distinguishing Characteristics: ABET Accredited
#46. Georgetown University
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 4
Georgetown’s computer science department features eighteen full-time faculty whose real-world computer science experience is in areas like algorithms, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, computer and network security, cryptography, and many more.
The five main research areas at Georgetown University are algorithms and theory, data mining and machine learning, information retrieval, privacy, and security.
Tuition: $48,611
Average 20 yr. ROI: $486,300
Percent of International Students: 12%
#47. Hawaii Pacific University
B.S. in Computer Science
Rating: 4
Students at Hawaii Pacific University will take computer science courses like discrete math for computer science, assembly language and computer systems programming, algorithms, systems analysis, data communication, operating systems, and software engineering.
This program is designed to prepare students to work in jobs creating the programs and services many of us use every day, including video chat apps and virtual assistants like Siri and Cortana.
Tuition: $22,440
Average 20 yr. ROI: $289,700
Percent of International Students: 12%
#48. Seattle University
B.A. or B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 4
Seattle University is a private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition. Students in the computer science program at Seattle University can choose between concentrations in business, math, or choose the generalist track.
Students will take classes like software engineering and project development, technical communications, calculus and analytic geometry, the art of web design, and programming and problem solving. Among computer science degrees for international students, Seattle offers a great choice in the Catholic tradition.
Tuition: $39,690
Average 20 yr. ROI: $356,500
Percent of International Students: 11%
#49. Indiana University-Bloomington
B.A. or B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 4
In addition to the B.A. or B.S. options, qualified students at Indiana University can opt into a 5 year B.S./M.S. program. Computer science research areas offered by the school include bioinformatics, databases, data mining, foundation theory, programming languages and intelligent systems.
During the course of their study students will cover courses like data structures, autonomous robotics, digital systems, principles of machine learning, and interactive graphics.
Tuition: $33,741
Average 20 yr. ROI: $303,000
Percent of International Students: 11%
#50. University of Indianapolis
B.S. in Computer Science
Website
Rating: 4
Computer science students at the University of Indianapolis will take courses like computer architecture, graphical user interface, data encryption and network security. This program is designed to prepare students for jobs in software development, database development, computer coding, video game development and more.
Computer science majors can decide to take a dual degree and pair their subject with engineering.
Tuition: $26,290
Average 20 yr. ROI: $247,200
Percent of International Students: 10%
This concludes our ranking of the top 50 computer science degrees for international students.
Methodology and Sources
Here I will explain the significance of each of the criteria by which we ranked these universities. Each metric was chosen because of its significance to the consideration of international students. International students make many sacrifices to study in the United States.
They leave friends, family and country, and often face significant financial challenges, in addition to the challenge of attending university. This ranking was designed to help international students consider their options, weigh their priorities, and select the school that will be right for them.
Tuition: While the ivy league schools tend to provide extensive financial aid to all students admitted to their programs, the same can’t be said for many other universities. International students attending state universities can’t count on much financial aid except for the private scholarships for which they apply.
Thus the tuition of a university will be an important consideration. We awarded points for schools which had tuition under $40,000 per year as follows.
Tuition Information Source: Institute of Education Science
Under $10,000: 4 Points
Under $20,000: 3 Points
Under $30,000: 2 Points
Under $40,000: 1 Points
Average 20 yr Return on Investment: Return on investment is important to international students, especially because of the incredible expense represented by studying in the United States. Check out this article if you want more details on the value of a computer science degree.
The return on investment figures we list here are representative of the average ROI of graduates from undergraduate programs at these universities, without financial aid factored into the equation. Thus the ROI listed here represents what an international student who has no financial aid might expect.
We awarded one point for colleges with an ROI of $200,000 and an additional point for every $100,000 over that amount.
Source: Payscale.com
Percent of International Students: The percent of a university’s student body made up by international students is indicative of a few things. First, it gives a general idea of the school’s international acceptance rate.
Second, it signals that there is something about the university other internationals have found attractive. Third, it increases the likelihood of an international student finding other students from their country studying at the university, and of international students finding a culturally diverse atmosphere and a wide variety of cultural associations.
In order to be eligible for this ranking schools were required to have at least a 10% international student population, and were rewarded as the percentage of international students in attendance increased.
10%: 1 Point
15%: 2 Points
20%: 3 Points
25%: 4 Points
30%: 5 Points
International Enrollment Source: Institute of Education Science
Distinguishing Characteristics: This category allowed us to reward points for anything particularly spectacular, unique, or interesting about the university’s computer science program.
From a school’s status as an Ivy League university (and everything that goes with it) to an exceptional internship program, innovative curriculum, or anything else that make the school a standout choice among computer science degrees for international students.
By Adam Birch
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