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Best Master’s in Computer Science for Software Engineers in 2027

The best master’s in computer science programs if you build software for a living: 213 degrees in 39 states, scored out of 100 on 2023–24 graduate tuition, graduates a year, research activity and ABET status, the same rubric as our software engineering master’s ranking.
Founder & Editor B.S. in Computer Science, Temple University Updated
Two graduate students at a desk in an evening computer lab, one pointing at a printed diagram of boxes and arrows while the other studies it, monitors and a desk lamp beside them
Programs ranked
213
scored on 4 published figures
Available online
9
the school’s own page
Name a software engineering track
4
the school’s own page
Median grad tuition, 2023–24
$12,216
IPEDS, school-wide grad average

Key takeaways

  1. North Carolina State University at Raleigh, Texas A&M University and Arizona State lead 213 computer science master’s programs, scored on graduate tuition, program size, the school’s research activity and whether its bachelor’s is ABET-accredited, the same four figures as our software engineering master’s ranking. No federal source reports a graduate completion rate, so use the score to build a shortlist. How we ranked.
  2. Bridgewater State, Georgia Southwestern State and Fitchburg State have the lowest graduate tuition here, under $3,600 a year. That is the school-wide graduate average for 2023–24, before program fees, so multiply each program’s own per-credit rate by its credit total and add fees before you compare.
  3. USC, Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Central Missouri are the largest, each graduating about 839 or more computer science master’s students a year, while 42 ranked programs graduate fewer than 10. A large cohort usually means more electives each term; a small one can mean courses that run once a year.
  4. Computer science is the bigger master’s route into software work: the programs ranked here graduate about 16,926 students a year, against 2,138 from the 44 software engineering master’s programs we rank. Of the computer science programs, 4 name a software engineering track or concentration on the school’s own page.
  5. 35 ranked programs state a credit total on their own page, from 30 to 48 credits. Schools on quarters count more credits for the same work, so compare course counts too, and ask whether the courses you need run in the evening if you plan to keep working.
Methodology

How we ranked

Who qualifies, the 4 scored factors, and the points each one carries.

Every master’s program is scored out of 100 on 4 published figures, each from a federal dataset or the accreditor’s own list. The same program shows the same score on every page of this site. Computer science programs are scored on the same rubric and tiers as the software engineering ranking, so the two read the same way.

Who gets ranked

Pass / fail

A master’s degree titled computer science on the school’s own page, with every scored figure

The program must appear in federal IPEDS completions data at the master’s level, and the school’s own program page must name the degree computer science; a federal classification alone is not enough. A program missing one of the figures below is not ranked: it is never scored on a guess, and the weights are never quietly rescaled.

Scored factors

100 pts total

Tuition 40 pts
IPEDS annual graduate tuition for 2023–24: the school-wide average across graduate students, which leaves out program fees. A program whose page says it can be completed online is scored at the out-of-state rate.
Scoring: Fixed dollar tiers, so one program’s points never depend on which others are ranked:
  • Under $10,00040 pts
  • $10,000 to $14,99932 pts
  • $15,000 to $19,99924 pts
  • $20,000 to $29,99916 pts
  • $30,000 to $39,9998 pts
  • $40,000 or more0 pts
Program size 30 pts
Graduates a year: the IPEDS average over 2021-22 to 2023-24 for this program’s field and degree level.
Scoring: A log scale that reaches full points at 500 graduates a year, so a large program does not win just by being large. The table shows the raw average.
Research activity 15 pts
The school’s 2021 Carnegie Classification, as IPEDS reports it. Research-active universities run more graduate courses and labs, and have more faculty who can supervise a thesis.
Scoring: By Carnegie class:
  • R1, very high research15
  • R2, high research9
  • Doctoral/professional3
  • Other0
ABET-accredited department 15 pts
Whether the same school’s software engineering or computer science bachelor’s is on ABET’s own list. ABET doesn’t accredit these master’s programs, so this shows whether the department behind one has passed an outside review.
Scoring: 15 points if the school has one, none if not.

Not ranked. A program with no graduates in any of the three IPEDS years isn’t ranked, since a figure the score uses wouldn’t describe it. It still appears on its state page, and is scored once its figures do describe it.

Not scored. Published costs from a program’s own page appear on its card where the school states one, but are not scored: few programs publish one, and they are not on the same basis as each other. Curriculum, faculty and outcomes after graduation are not scored either, because no source reports them the same way for every program.

Read the full methodology: every data source and its year, how state and city ranks work, and what we leave out.

The ranking

The ranking

The 213 computer science master’s programs with both scored figures, highest score first. A line under a school’s name notes a software engineering track, GRE policy or final project where the school’s page states one. Sort by any column; press a school’s name to jump to its details.

Filter

Showing all 213 programs.

Best Master’s in Computer Science for Software Engineers in 2027, ranked by score
Scoreof 100
01 01 North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Campus $9,459 245.3 96.6
02 02 Texas A&M University College Station, TX Thesis required, no non-thesis option Not confirmed $6,885 134.3 93.7
03 03 Arizona State Tempe, AZ Thesis, project or coursework option Campus $12,376 617.0 92.0
04 04 Wichita State Wichita, KS Campus $5,871 263.3 90.9
05 05 University of Memphis Memphis, TN Campus $9,576 64.7 90.2
06 06 University of Georgia Athens, GA GRE optional Campus $8,878 51.0 89.1
07 07 Cal State Fullerton Fullerton, CA Thesis or project option Campus $7,176 140.0 87.9
08 08 Long Beach State Long Beach, CA Thesis or comprehensive exam option Campus $7,176 140.7 87.9
09 09 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY Thesis or project option Campus $11,310 182.7 87.2
10 10 Nevada-Reno Reno, NV Campus $5,792 33.3 87.1
11 11 University of Oklahoma Norman, OK Campus $8,903 32.3 86.9
12 12 UC Irvine Irvine, CA Thesis or comprehensive exam option Campus $12,264 165.7 86.7
13 13 Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City, MO Software engineering track Campus $11,712 466.0 85.7
14 14 University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL Thesis or project option Campus $14,108 131.7 85.6
15 15 UCLA Los Angeles, CA Thesis or capstone option Campus $12,264 128.7 85.5
16 16 UC Riverside Riverside, CA Thesis, project or exam option Campus $12,264 130.0 85.5
17 17 Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MD Campus $12,960 116.7 85.0
18 18 University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA Not confirmed $5,511 19.3 84.5
19 19 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA Campus $9,132 18.3 84.3
20 20 Texas State San Marcos, TX Thesis or non-thesis option Campus $7,147 66.7 84.3
21 21 ASU Online Scottsdale, AZ Online $10,170 335.0 84.1
22 22 Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL Campus $15,545 856.3 84.0
23 23 Southern University and A & M College Baton Rouge, LA Campus $5,336 61.3 83.9
24 24 SDSU San Diego, CA Thesis or comprehensive exam option Campus $7,176 51.0 83.1
25 25 UC Davis Davis, CA No GRE required Campus $12,264 79.0 83.1

Pick any program in the full list to jump to its details.
26 26 Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH Campus $12,483 76.3 83.0
27 27 Illinois State Normal, IL Campus $7,971 38.0 81.7
28 28 University at Albany Albany, NY Campus $11,310 57.3 81.6
29 29 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI Thesis or capstone project option Campus $10,701 56.7 81.6
30 30 Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV Campus $6,119 9.3 81.3
31 31 CSUSB San Bernardino, CA Campus $7,176 33.0 81.0
32 32 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC Campus $5,375 27.0 80.1
33 33 North Carolina A & T State Greensboro, NC Not confirmed $4,895 23.0 79.3
34 34 Cleveland State Cleveland, OH Campus $10,840 122.0 79.2
35 35 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Campus $11,674 119.7 79.1
36 36 Missouri State University Springfield, MO Thesis, project or course-only option Campus $6,264 76.7 79.0
37 37 UTRGV Edinburg, TX Campus $6,948 20.3 78.8
38 38 Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA Campus $5,416 20.0 78.7
39 39 Washington State Pullman, WA Campus $12,675 29.7 78.5
40 40 Middle Tennessee State Murfreesboro, TN Campus $9,648 17.3 78.0
41 41 UH-Clear Lake Houston, TX Campus $7,920 62.0 78.0
42 42 East Carolina Greenville, NC Not confirmed $4,749 17.0 77.9
43 43 Fitchburg State Fitchburg, MA Campus + online $3,510 107.7 77.6
44 44 Tennessee State Nashville, TN Campus $9,844 14.3 77.2
45 45 LSU New Orleans New Orleans, LA Campus $6,090 13.7 77.0
46 46 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC GRE optional Campus $4,467 330.0 77.0
47 47 Georgia State Atlanta, GA Thesis or project option Campus $7,164 88.0 76.7
48 48 San Jose State San Jose, CA Campus $7,176 71.3 75.7
49 49 UC San Diego La Jolla, CA Thesis or comprehensive exam plan Campus $12,264 359.0 75.4
50 50 University of South Florida Tampa, FL Thesis or non-thesis option Campus $8,350 68.0 75.4
51 51 Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN Campus $6,123 66.7 75.3
52 52 University of Dayton Dayton, OH Campus $18,990 282.0 75.2
53 53 Cal State Northridge Northridge, CA Campus $7,176 56.0 74.5
54 54 Cal State LA Los Angeles, CA Campus $7,176 51.7 74.1
55 55 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL Campus $7,700 26.7 74.0
56 56 Utah Salt Lake City, UT Campus $7,353 49.0 73.9
57 57 Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA Not confirmed $14,723 256.7 73.8
58 58 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR Campus $10,500 10.3 73.7
59 59 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL Campus $11,268 31.7 72.8
60 60 Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, IN Campus $10,133 190.7 72.4
61 61 Kennesaw State Kennesaw, GA Thesis or professional track Campus + online $19,188 152.3 72.3
62 62 CSU Dominguez Hills Carson, CA Campus $7,176 33.0 72.0
63 63 Sacramento State Sacramento, CA Campus $7,176 32.7 72.0
64 64 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY Campus $6,460 4.3 72.0
65 65 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CA Campus $7,176 32.3 71.9
66 66 Towson Towson, MD Campus $9,108 32.0 71.9
67 67 Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA Campus $14,064 163.7 71.6
68 68 Cal Poly Pomona Pomona, CA Campus $7,176 28.0 71.2
69 69 Cal State East Bay Hayward, CA GRE general test required Campus $7,176 98.0 71.2
70 70 Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN Campus $10,480 21.7 71.1
71 71 The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN Not confirmed $8,876 14.0 71.1
72 72 Binghamton Vestal, NY Campus + online $23,790 166.7 70.7
73 73 Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL Campus $8,344 24.0 70.5
74 74 Chico State Chico, CA Campus $7,176 21.0 69.9
75 75 Portland State Portland, OR Campus $15,279 92.0 69.9
76 76 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK Campus $7,626 21.0 69.9
77 77 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL GRE scores required Campus $9,090 69.0 69.5
78 78 Cal State San Marcos San Marcos, CA Campus $7,176 17.7 69.1
79 79 Miami University Oxford, OH Campus $13,932 14.0 69.1
80 80 University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO Thesis or project option Campus + online $17,088 839.3 69.0
81 81 Hood College Frederick, MD Campus $9,000 15.3 68.5
82 82 Bridgewater State Bridgewater, MA Campus $1,260 14.0 68.1
83 83 Appalachian State Boone, NC Campus $5,081 13.3 67.8
84 84 Georgia Southwestern State Americus, GA Not confirmed $3,492 13.3 67.8
85 85 Massachusetts-Boston Boston, MA Campus $19,366 56.0 67.5
86 86 Campbellsville Campbellsville, KY No GRE required Online $9,620 292.7 67.4
87 87 Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Campus $9,648 43.3 67.3
88 88 Lamar Beaumont, TX Thesis or non-thesis option Campus $6,471 148.3 67.2
89 89 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Campus $15,843 50.0 67.0
90 90 Northwest Missouri State Maryville, MO GRE optional Campus $6,704 256.0 66.8
91 91 Virginia State Petersburg, VA Campus $8,626 10.3 66.7
92 92 SF State San Francisco, CA Campus $7,176 32.3 65.9
93 93 UC Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Campus $12,264 48.3 65.8
94 94 New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM Campus $8,005 7.7 65.4
95 95 A&M-San Antonio San Antonio, TX Campus $3,978 6.7 64.9
96 96 Ohio University Athens, OH Campus $9,444 5.3 63.9
97 97 City College (CUNY) New York, NY Campus $11,090 4.0 63.8
98 98 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Campus $10,552 28.7 63.4
99 99 Governors State University Park, IL Thesis or seminar finish Campus $6,624 119.3 63.1
100 100 Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, AL Thesis or coursework option Campus $8,118 116.3 63.0
101 101 Grand Canyon Phoenix, AZ Not confirmed $10,138 13.7 63.0
102 102 University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC Campus $9,234 4.3 63.0
103 103 Fresno State Fresno, CA Campus $7,176 15.7 62.6
104 104 Rowan Glassboro, NJ Campus $14,380 81.7 62.3
105 105 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA Campus $4,986 11.3 61.1
106 106 Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Campus $19,116 89.7 60.8
107 107 College of Staten Island (CUNY) Staten Island, NY Campus $11,090 15.7 60.6
108 108 USC Los Angeles, CA Campus $66,640 998.0 60.0
109 109 Maryland-College Park College Park, MD Campus $16,560 68.3 59.5
110 110 Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO Campus $18,558 62.7 59.0
111 111 University of Akron Akron, OH Campus $8,325 7.0 59.0
112 112 Cornell Ithaca, NY Campus $29,500 311.3 58.7
113 113 Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL Campus $32,500 247.0 58.6
114 114 Chicago State Chicago, IL Campus $6,282 45.0 58.5
115 115 Pace New York, NY Campus $28,091 157.7 58.5
116 116 New Mexico State Las Cruces, NM Campus $5,181 6.0 58.4
117 117 UC Berkeley Berkeley, CA Campus $12,264 9.7 58.4
118 118 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Campus $18,354 7.0 58.0
119 119 SFBU Fremont, CA Not confirmed $8,100 39.7 57.9
120 120 Texas Southern University Houston, TX Campus $6,858 5.3 57.9
121 121 Missouri-St Louis Saint Louis, MO Campus $14,736 22.3 56.2
122 122 Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL Campus $22,860 26.7 56.0
123 123 Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Teaneck, NJ Campus $17,418 32.0 55.9
124 124 Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN Campus $6,042 25.0 55.7
125 125 Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL Campus $22,890 21.0 54.9
126 126 Lehigh Bethlehem, PA Campus $27,810 20.0 54.7
127 127 Rivier Nashua, NH Campus $12,546 103.7 54.4
128 128 University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR Campus $5,281 9.0 54.1
129 129 Stevens Hoboken, NJ Campus $41,380 602.7 54.0
130 130 National University San Diego, CA Not confirmed $15,912 20.0 53.7
131 131 CSU Channel Islands Camarillo, CA Campus $7,176 15.3 53.5
132 132 Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI Campus $24,669 15.3 53.5
133 133 Massachusetts-Lowell Lowell, MA Campus $15,330 67.7 53.4
134 134 Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN Campus $12,870 2.7 53.3
135 135 Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA Campus $9,288 13.7 53.0
136 136 North American University Stafford, TX Not confirmed $10,763 76.0 53.0
137 137 City University of Seattle Seattle, WA Not confirmed $12,167 33.0 52.0
138 138 University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI Campus $15,600 13.3 51.8
139 139 New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ Campus $22,534 2.0 51.3
140 140 Penn State University Park, PA Campus $24,956 60.7 50.9
141 141 Vanderbilt Nashville, TN Campus $54,744 65.0 50.2
142 142 SMU Dallas, TX Not confirmed $31,590 39.7 49.9
143 143 Saint Martin's University Lacey, WA Campus $16,152 8.3 49.8
144 144 Lewis Romeoville, IL Not confirmed $15,210 182.3 49.1
145 145 University of Management and Technology Arlington, VA Not confirmed $7,020 2.0 48.3
146 146 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH Campus $52,360 41.0 48.0
147 147 University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, IL Campus + online $16,146 144.7 48.0
148 148 Saint Leo University Saint Leo, FL Not confirmed $15,840 73.7 47.8
149 149 Seattle University Seattle, WA Campus $15,012 70.3 47.6
150 150 Frostburg State Frostburg, MD Campus + online $10,800 23.7 47.5
151 151 RIT Rochester, NY Not confirmed $56,884 128.0 47.5
152 152 Hofstra Hempstead, NY Campus $29,340 15.0 47.4
153 153 SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, NY Campus $11,310 21.7 47.1
154 154 Jessup University Rocklin, CA Campus $12,870 22.0 47.1
155 155 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA Campus $25,834 22.3 46.2
156 156 Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls, WI Campus $8,183 2.3 45.8
157 157 George Washington University Washington, DC Campus $35,100 109.3 45.7
158 158 Franklin University Columbus, OH Not confirmed $12,060 15.7 45.6
159 159 Oklahoma Christian University Edmond, OK Campus $10,440 14.7 45.3
160 160 Brooklyn College (CUNY) Brooklyn, NY Campus $11,090 13.0 44.7
161 161 Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO Campus $23,580 57.0 44.6
162 162 Sofia University Palo Alto, CA Campus $13,620 12.7 44.6
163 163 Queens College (CUNY) Queens, NY Campus $11,090 12.3 44.5
164 164 Stanford Stanford, CA Campus $58,746 383.7 43.7
165 165 Monroe University Bronx, NY Not confirmed $16,560 57.3 43.6
166 166 Clarkson Potsdam, NY Not confirmed $36,000 8.0 42.6
167 167 Baylor Waco, TX Campus $41,130 12.0 42.4
168 168 Metropolitan State Saint Paul, MN Campus $10,171 7.7 42.4
169 169 Drexel Philadelphia, PA Campus $36,234 52.0 42.2
170 170 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY Campus $10,206 3.0 41.7
171 171 Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, GA Campus $19,020 4.7 41.4
172 172 Hunter College (CUNY) New York, NY Campus $11,090 6.0 41.4
173 173 Villanova Villanova, PA Campus $21,261 29.0 41.4
174 174 Boston University Boston, MA Campus $63,798 212.3 40.9
175 175 University of Chicago Chicago, IL Campus $65,145 190.7 40.4
176 176 Lehman College (CUNY) Bronx, NY Campus $11,090 4.3 40.0
177 177 Iona New Rochelle, NY Campus $24,057 5.0 39.6
178 178 Northcentral San Diego, CA Not confirmed $16,794 11.3 39.1
179 179 University of Rochester Rochester, NY Campus $38,083 27.0 39.1
180 180 Northwestern Evanston, IL Campus $52,698 138.7 38.8
181 181 Brown Providence, RI Campus $65,656 125.3 38.4
182 182 Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO Campus $61,750 102.7 37.4
183 183 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Campus $21,375 11.0 37.0
184 184 USF San Francisco, CA Campus $29,070 39.0 36.8
185 185 Howard Washington, DC Campus $37,334 1.3 36.0
186 186 Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI Campus $19,900 11.0 36.0
187 187 Mercy University Dobbs Ferry, NY Not confirmed $18,090 11.0 36.0
188 188 Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh, PA Not confirmed $48,496 74.3 35.9
189 189 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL Campus $20,340 1.7 35.8
190 190 Saint Joseph's Philadelphia, PA Campus $19,786 9.7 35.4
191 191 The Catholic University of America Washington, DC Campus $52,190 9.0 35.1
192 192 Tufts Medford, MA Campus $48,324 63.7 35.1
193 193 Duquesne Pittsburgh, PA Campus $26,568 6.3 34.6
194 194 Duke Durham, NC Campus $62,620 49.3 33.9
195 195 Delaware State Dover, DE Online $12,876 0.3 33.3
196 196 Pacific Stockton, CA Campus $52,924 20.0 32.7
197 197 St. Mary's University San Antonio, TX Campus $19,782 4.7 32.4
198 198 Brandeis Waltham, MA Campus $61,458 33.3 32.1
199 199 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH Campus $63,684 27.0 31.1
200 200 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY Campus $60,360 27.0 31.1
201 201 Davenport Grand Rapids, MI Not confirmed $18,108 3.3 31.0
202 202 Georgetown Washington, DC Campus $58,848 21.3 30.0
203 203 Emory Atlanta, GA Campus $46,800 15.3 28.5
204 204 Roosevelt Chicago, IL Campus $22,764 6.0 28.4
205 205 Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Madison, NJ Campus $23,322 9.3 27.3
206 206 American University Washington, DC Campus $32,224 7.0 27.0
207 207 University of Denver Denver, CO Campus $58,032 8.3 25.8
208 208 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC Campus $38,650 4.7 25.4
209 209 Felician Lodi, NJ Not confirmed $20,610 5.0 24.6
210 210 Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, MA Not confirmed $42,095 3.7 22.5
211 211 Merrimack College North Andover, MA Not confirmed $34,208 15.0 21.4
212 212 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Campus $43,578 2.3 20.8
213 213 Wesleyan University Middletown, CT Campus $66,716 2.3 5.8

About these columns

  • Format: as the program’s own page states it, or from IPEDS distance-education data where the page doesn’t say. Not confirmed: IPEDS lists the program as online, but the school’s own page doesn’t say so.
  • Grad tuition: IPEDS 2023–24, in-state (out-of-state for programs offered online); the school-wide average across all graduate students, excluding program fees.
  • Grads/yr: IPEDS completions, 3-year average (2021–22 to 2023–24).

5 programs aren’t ranked here: 5 have no graduates yet to measure. Each still appears on its state page.

80 more programs aren’t ranked because we haven’t found a page on the school’s own site that names the degree computer science. Each still appears on its state page.

Program details

Program details

The top 25 programs in detail. For any of the other 188, press “Show all” in the ranking table and choose the program to open its card.

#01

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Master of Science in Computer Science · Raleigh, NC

Score 96.6 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size26.6/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
31
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$9,459
Out-of-state
$29,433
Grads/yr
245.3
Field earnings, 1 yr (not scored)
$108,371
Field median debt (not scored)
$30,750

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

The catalog's requirements for this degree total 31 credit hours and are built around a thesis: CSC 600, a graduate orientation, and CSC 695, Master's Thesis Research, are the required courses. You also choose a minimum of two core courses, one from a theory category and one from a systems category. The theory list runs from computational applied logic and algorithm design to compilers, cryptography and graph theory. The systems list includes Software Engineering (CSC 510) next to operating systems, parallel architectures, artificial intelligence, databases, graphics, networks and security.

The rest of the credits are CSC courses at the 500 or 700 level, with minor courses or restricted electives approved by your committee. NC State also runs an accelerated bachelor's/master's route in which up to 12 credits count toward both degrees, and the catalog says it can end in a non-thesis master's within 12 months of the bachelor's. The university is public and enrolls 38,464 students. Its graduate tuition averaged $9,459 for in-state students and $29,433 for out-of-state students in 2023-24, and about 245 students a year finish a computer science master's here, according to federal data.

#02

Texas A&M University

Master of Science in Computer Science · College Station, TX

Score 93.7 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size23.7/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$6,885
Out-of-state
$19,882
Grads/yr
134.3
Field earnings, 1 yr (not scored)
$121,728

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Texas A&M's computer science master's is a thesis degree, and the catalog says so plainly: a thesis and a final examination (thesis defense) are required, and the program does not offer a non-thesis option. You need a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of approved courses and research. The coursework covers the breadth of computer science, from theory to systems to human-computer interaction to data science, and the catalog calls the degree a research degree. Your advisory committee has no fewer than three members, and at least one must hold an appointment outside the computer science department.

For residence, you complete 9 semester credit hours in one regular semester or one 10-week summer semester of resident study at Texas A&M. If you finish and want to keep going, you can file a letter of intent requesting admission to the PhD program. The university is a public institution with 78,321 students. Its school-wide graduate tuition averages $6,885 for in-state students and $19,882 for out-of-state students, and IPEDS counts about 134 graduates a year from this program. It fits you if you want your master's to be research and a written thesis.

#03

Arizona State University

Computer Science, MS · Tempe, AZ

Score 92.0 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Campus
  • Cost32/40
  • Size30/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$12,376
Out-of-state
$25,722
Grads/yr
617
Field earnings, 1 yr (not scored)
$106,435

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Arizona State's campus computer science master's gives you three ways to finish, all at 30 credit hours: a course-based option, a thesis (CSE 599), or an applied project (CSE 593). Every plan starts with 9 credit hours of required core across applications, foundations and systems. Electives fill the rest: 21 credit hours if you stay course-based, 18 with the applied project, and 15 with the thesis. The page describes the on-campus program as research-focused and says it emphasizes fundamental and applied research, with advanced topics from machine learning and cybersecurity to distributed computing, computer systems and visualization and graphics.

Applicants need a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, computer engineering or a closely related area, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, a statement of purpose, transcripts and proof of English proficiency. You also need two semesters or six credit hours of calculus before you apply. The university is public, with 79,818 students. Its school-wide graduate tuition averages $12,376 for in-state and $25,722 for out-of-state students, and IPEDS counts about 617 graduates a year from this program.

#04

Wichita State University

Master of Science in Computer Science · Wichita, KS

Score 90.9 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Lowest 10% tuition in this ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size26.9/30
  • Research9/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$5,871
Out-of-state
$14,418
Grads/yr
263.3

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

You can finish Wichita State University's Master of Science in Computer Science through a thesis, a project or coursework. The degree takes at least 30 credit hours and is open to bachelor's holders in computer science, computer engineering or a related area, with a minimum 3.00 GPA.

Funding is a real part of the picture: more than 30 percent of full-time graduate students hold assistantships or departmental fellowships. The university is public with a 94% admit rate, and its six-year graduation rate is 51%.

#05

University of Memphis

MS Computer Science · Memphis, TN

Score 90.2 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size20.2/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$9,576
Out-of-state
$13,590
Grads/yr
64.7

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Software engineering sits in the core of the University of Memphis master's in computer science, next to algorithms, operating systems and theory. Those four core courses give you the advanced foundation, and in consultation with your advisor you tailor the rest of the program to your own interests. Applicants show proof of completion of certain undergraduate prerequisite courses in computer science and mathematics, so if your bachelor's is in another field, check the Graduate Catalog list before you apply. Software engineering here is a required course, not a track you choose.

The department's page links a comprehensive exam evaluation form and a transfer credit evaluation form. International applicants are not required to submit a transcript evaluation such as WES by default, though the admissions committee can ask for additional documents. The department also lists an accelerated BS/MS program. Memphis is a public university of about 20,276 students. Graduate tuition at the university averaged $9,576 for in-state students and $13,590 for out-of-state students in 2023-24, and the university confers about 65 computer science master's degrees a year.

#06

University of Georgia

Master of Science in Computer Science (Thesis Option) · Athens, GA

Score 89.1 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size19.1/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$8,878
Out-of-state
$25,186
Grads/yr
51

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

The Georgia program in computer science is built around a thesis. Of at least 30 resident graduate credit hours, 6 go to Master’s Research and 3 to the thesis itself, which is defended before an advisory committee of a major professor and two other members. Students also take 1 credit hour of Research Seminar, with weekly meetings and presentations. The 12-hour core asks for one course from each of three groups: Theory, Software Design and System Design. The Software Design group lists Software Engineering, Database Management and Compilers, so an engineer can steer the core toward building software.

Another 8 hours come from advanced graduate-only courses, at least one at the 8000 level. Applicants need a bachelor’s degree, preferably in computer science or an allied field, and those with gaps in the background take undergraduate computer science courses in addition to the graduate load. GRE scores are optional, and applications are processed year round for fall or spring entry. The university is a public institution with about 43,000 students, and its school-wide graduate tuition averaged $8,878 for in-state and $25,186 for out-of-state students in 2023-24. About 51 students a year finish the computer science master’s here.

#07

California State University-Fullerton

Master of Science in Computer Science · Fullerton, CA

Score 87.9 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size23.9/30
  • Research9/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$7,176
Out-of-state
$16,680
Grads/yr
140

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

At Fullerton you end the degree with either a project or a thesis, three units each, alongside a computer science seminar. The 30 units include nine of required electives, where you pick one course from each of three of four categories. One category is software engineering: software standards and requirements, verification and validation, maintenance, software process, design and architecture, management, measurement, and professional and legal issues. At least 15 units must come from the computer science department, and you build a formal study plan with the graduate adviser.

If your bachelor’s is in computer science or engineering, the minimum GPA is 2.5, and it is 3.0 for other degrees. Without a computer science degree you need a programming course completed with at least a B- in the past two years, plus a list of undergraduate foundation courses before you reach classified standing. California State University-Fullerton is a public university with 43,662 students. Its graduate tuition averages $7,176 for in-state students and $16,680 for out-of-state students (2023-24 school year), and its computer science master’s program graduates about 140 students a year.

#08

California State University-Long Beach

Master of Science in Computer Science · Long Beach, CA

Score 87.9 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size23.9/30
  • Research9/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$7,176
Out-of-state
$16,680
Grads/yr
140.7
Field earnings, 1 yr (not scored)
$95,299

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Long Beach lets you choose between two concentrations, Advanced Systems and Software Development, and the second is the one that stays closest to building software. The department, Computer Engineering and Computer Science, tailors the program to the schedules of working professionals, so you can plan around a job. Study covers software development and engineering, networking, operating systems, distributed computing, artificial intelligence and the analysis of algorithms, and course interests run from software engineering and web design to game programming and computer graphics.

You finish with a comprehensive exam or a thesis research project. Recent thesis projects covered software quality assurance, data mining, virtual agents, evolutionary algorithms, neural networks and distributed web computing. California State University-Long Beach is a public university with 42,003 students. Its graduate tuition averages $7,176 for in-state students and $16,680 for out-of-state students (2023-24 school year), and its computer science master’s program graduates about 141 students a year.

#09

Stony Brook University

M.S. in Computer Science · Stony Brook, NY

Score 87.2 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Cost32/40
  • Size25.2/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
31
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$11,310
Out-of-state
$24,490
Grads/yr
182.7

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Stony Brook describes this degree as aimed at students headed for business, industry or government, with an emphasis on programming, software development and computer systems. Every student works on one or more projects covering analysis, design, evaluation or implementation, and picks one of three routes to finish. The basic project is a project-oriented course. The advanced project runs two semesters (CSE 523 and CSE 524) under a faculty advisor. The thesis is a research project of two or three semesters of CSE 599, ending in a submitted and defended dissertation.

The route sets how many graduate lecture courses are needed: 8 for the basic project, 7 for the advanced project and 6 for the thesis. All routes need at least 31 graduate credits in computer science courses, each with a grade of C or better, plus breadth courses across three designated groups. A Data Science and Engineering concentration is available and can be shown on the transcript at graduation. The university is public, with about 26,700 students, and its school-wide graduate tuition averaged $11,310 in-state and $24,490 out-of-state in 2023-24. Around 183 students a year complete the computer science master’s.

#10

University of Nevada-Reno

Computer Science and Engineering, M.S. · Reno, NV

Score 87.1 of 100
  • Top 10 in the ranking
  • Lowest 10% tuition in this ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size17.1/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30 (courses-only) or 31 (thesis)
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$5,792
Out-of-state
$22,748
Grads/yr
33.3

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

The University of Nevada, Reno's M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering has two options: a thesis option of 31 units, or a courses-only option of 30 units with a graduate capstone project. Thesis students work in cybersecurity and network systems, data and software systems, or intelligent and autonomous systems.

Applicants need a minimum GRE Quantitative score of 156. Only thesis students are eligible for teaching or research assistantships. The university is public, with a six-year graduation rate of 61%.

#11

University of Oklahoma

Computer science, Master’s · Norman, OK

Score 86.9 of 100
  • Cost40/40
  • Size16.9/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$8,903
Out-of-state
$25,163
Grads/yr
32.3

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

#12

University of California-Irvine

Computer Science, M.S. · Irvine, CA

Score 86.7 of 100
  • Cost32/40
  • Size24.7/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
47
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$12,264
Out-of-state
$27,366
Grads/yr
165.7
Field earnings, 1 yr (not scored)
$148,476

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Irvine’s master’s shares its course requirements with the Ph.D., and students finish through one of two plans. Plan I is a thesis, written under a committee of three faculty members and presented orally, and it replaces two elective courses. Plan II is a comprehensive examination given by the computer science faculty on the core requirements. Either way, students complete at least 47 units, with a B or better in every counted course: three quarters of COMPSCI 200S, four core courses and seven electives. The core courses come from four of seven areas: data structures and algorithms, architecture and embedded systems, system software, artificial intelligence, networks and multimedia, database systems, and scientific and visual computing.

System software offers courses in compiler construction, security and distributed systems, and database systems includes transaction processing. Electives can be chosen from any graduate program in the information and computer sciences school, with limits on upper-division undergraduate courses. The university is public with about 37,300 students, and its school-wide graduate tuition averaged $12,264 in-state and $27,366 out-of-state in 2023-24. About 166 students a year complete the computer science master’s.

#13

University of Missouri-Kansas City

Master of Science: Computer Science · Kansas City, MO

Score 85.7 of 100
  • Software engineering track
  • Cost32/40
  • Size29.7/30
  • Research9/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$11,712
Out-of-state
$29,400
Grads/yr
466

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

UMKC runs a 30 credit hour master's with five emphasis areas, and one of them is Software Engineering & Systems. Its course list covers distributed computing systems, advanced software engineering, formal software specification, software security, and software testing and verification. Picking an emphasis is recommended rather than required, and the school suggests at least 12 credit hours in one area. Every student takes three core courses from a list of five: network architecture, advanced operating systems, advanced software engineering, machine learning, and algorithms.

You can finish by thesis (eight courses plus a 6 credit hour thesis) or by coursework alone (ten courses). GRE scores are not required, and you need a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work in a relevant field. Full-time and part-time students are both admitted, and the program length is two years. The university's graduate tuition averages $11,712 for in-state and $29,400 for out-of-state students (2023-24), and its enrollment is 14,732. About 466 students a year graduate from this program.

#14

University of Illinois Chicago

MS in Computer Science · Chicago, IL

Score 85.6 of 100
  • Cost32/40
  • Size23.6/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
36
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$14,108
Out-of-state
$25,481
Grads/yr
131.7
Field earnings, 1 yr (not scored)
$101,886

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

UIC lets master’s students choose how to finish: coursework only, a project, or a thesis, and the degree carries no comprehensive examination. The project option is a substantive capstone that must show a high level of professional skill, though students do not formally present or defend it. The thesis option suits students with an interest in research and is strongly advised for anyone considering a PhD. The program requires at least 36 semester hours. Coursework is at least 28 hours plus thesis hours, 32 hours plus project hours, or 36 hours for the coursework-only route.

Of those, 12 hours (thesis and project) or 16 hours (coursework only) must be 500-level computer science courses, with no more than one special topics course counted, and up to 8 hours of pre-approved graduate courses outside computer science can count. Graduates describe moving into data visualization, machine learning and data analysis work after courses such as data and text mining and computer vision. The university is public with about 33,900 students, and its school-wide graduate tuition averaged $14,108 in-state and $25,481 out-of-state in 2023-24. About 132 students a year finish the computer science master’s here.

#15

University of California-Los Angeles

Master of Science in Computer Science · Los Angeles, CA

Score 85.5 of 100
  • Cost32/40
  • Size23.5/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$12,264
Out-of-state
$27,366
Grads/yr
128.7

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Two years is the standard length of UCLA's computer science master's, a program the department says has existed for over 50 years. You choose between a student-driven capstone, where you pick the topic and find a computer science faculty advisor, and a thesis option built around research with faculty. The department admits for fall quarter only. Most applicants come from computer science, though electrical engineering, mathematics, statistics and physics majors are also represented.

The department recommends two years of calculus, a year of physics, a statistics course and upper-division computer science such as operating systems, software engineering, programming languages and data management systems. For the fall 2022 entry year, the department reports 3,200 MS applicants and 140 admitted, with an average GPA of 3.75. You need a bachelor's degree and at least a 3.0 average, and the department expects a 3.50 in your junior and senior years. UCLA is a public university with 47,335 students. Its school-wide graduate tuition averaged $12,264 for California residents and $27,366 for others in 2023-24, and about 129 students a year finish this degree.

#16

University of California-Riverside

Master of Science in Computer Science · Riverside, CA

Score 85.5 of 100
  • Cost32/40
  • Size23.5/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
48
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$12,264
Out-of-state
$27,366
Grads/yr
130

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

You finish UC Riverside's computer science master's one of three ways: a comprehensive exam, which is the default, a research project, or a thesis. The project needs a committee of at least two faculty members, a presentation and a written report. The thesis needs a presentation and a committee of at least three, and it has to be original research that identifies an open problem and makes a contribution. The degree takes 48 quarter units of graduate or upper-division undergraduate courses, and the normative time is two years. Eight of those units are core, taken as one course from two of three core areas with no grade below a B-.

Another eight are breadth units chosen so that core and breadth together cover four different specialty areas, and 32 are electives. The exam route needs at least 16 units of graduate lecture courses among the electives, and the thesis route lets up to 12 units come from graduate research. You also complete one professional development course, such as CS 287 or GDIV 301. UC Riverside is a public university with 26,384 students. Its school-wide graduate tuition averaged $12,264 for California residents and $27,366 for others in 2023-24, and about 130 students a year finish this degree.

#17

University of Maryland-Baltimore County

M.S. in Computer Science · Baltimore, MD

Score 85.0 of 100
  • Cost32/40
  • Size23/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$12,960
Out-of-state
$22,266
Grads/yr
116.7

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

UMBC's M.S. in Computer Science, offered by the Computer Science and Electrical Engineering department, lets students choose between a thesis and a non-thesis option. The thesis option is 30 credits, including six credits of thesis research, and ends in an oral defense. The non-thesis option is 33 credits.

All students take CMSC 641 Algorithms, one course from a systems area and one from an applications area, and must finish within five years with at least a 3.0 GPA. Applications need a transcript, a statement of purpose, two letters of recommendation and GRE scores. A graduate track in Cybersecurity is also listed.

#18

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Master of Science in Computer Science · Lafayette, LA

Score 84.5 of 100
  • Lowest 10% tuition in this ranking
  • Cost40/40
  • Size14.5/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30-33
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$5,511
Out-of-state
$19,239
Grads/yr
19.3

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette runs its Master of Science in Computer Science through the Center for Advanced Computer Studies, which puts the Computer Science M.S. and the Computer Engineering M.S.E. under one research-focused umbrella. The degree totals 30 to 33 credit hours.

Research areas include artificial intelligence, cloud computing, computer and network security, data analytics and visualization, embedded systems and wireless communications, and the center works with the Informatics Research Institute and the UL NASA Regional Application Center. Local high-tech companies offer internships to master's students. The university's six-year graduation rate is 53%, and it admits 87% of applicants.

#19

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

MS in Computer Science & Engineering · Baton Rouge, LA

Score 84.3 of 100
  • Cost40/40
  • Size14.3/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
37
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$9,132
Grads/yr
18.3

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Master's students in computer science at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College need at least 37 graduate credit hours, whichever route they take. The route is thesis (twelve thesis credits) or non-thesis (a six-credit project), and both end in a written report and a final exam.

You pick one of three concentrations: Core Computer Science, Computational Science or Systems Science. Everyone starts in Core Computer Science on the project route and files a Plan of Study by the end of the first year to change. GRE scores are optional, and the university also runs an online MS in Computer Science. Its six-year graduation rate is 69%.

#20

Texas State University

M.S. in computer science · San Marcos, TX

Score 84.3 of 100
  • Cost40/40
  • Size20.3/30
  • Research9/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$7,147
Out-of-state
$15,547
Grads/yr
66.7

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

Thesis or non-thesis, you choose, and either way the Texas State master's in computer science is 30 credit hours. The M.S. adds a data science concentration in the non-thesis option, while the M.A. requires a minor. Core courses and electives come first. Areas of study include machine learning, databases and data mining, computer networks and cyber security, high-performance computing, image processing and bioinformatics, and faculty research also covers software engineering.

The department offers classes in the evenings and on the Round Rock campus, which helps if you're working, and the thesis route is taken in San Marcos. Admission asks for a 2.75 GPA, and applicants without enough undergraduate computer science background complete background coursework. The GRE is required until Spring 2027, when the requirement is dropped. Texas State is a public university of about 40,674 students. Graduate tuition at the university averaged $7,147 for in-state students and $15,547 for out-of-state students in 2023-24, and the university confers about 67 computer science master's degrees a year.

#21

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Master of Computer Science · Scottsdale, AZ

Score 84.1 of 100
  • Fully online
  • Cost32/40
  • Size28.1/30
  • Research9/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Credits
30
Grad tuition 2023–24, out-of-state
$10,170
Grads/yr
335
Field earnings, 1 yr (not scored)
$106,435
Published cost, school’s page (not scored)
$15,000 total, or $1,500 per 3-credit course

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees. Out-of-state campus rate; an online program may charge a different flat rate.

Everything about this Arizona State master's runs online: ten classes of 7.5 weeks each, 30 credit hours, and a total cost of $15,000, or $1,500 per three-credit course. You take one course in each of three areas (theoretical foundations, systems and applications) and fill the rest with electives, including artificial intelligence, blockchain and software engineering. Two concentrations are available, big data systems and cybersecurity. Software engineering is also offered as a non-degree microcertificate, and up to 12 credits from a general pathway can count toward the degree if you're admitted within three years.

Admission requires a 3.00 GPA in the last 60 credit hours, and letters of recommendation aren't required. If your bachelor's isn't in computer science, you'll need Calculus I and II, discrete math and programming knowledge in C/C++, Java, Python and HTML. The program takes 18 to 36 months depending on how many courses you take each semester. Arizona State is a public university of about 72,994 students, and the university confers about 335 computer science master's degrees a year.

#22

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Computer science, Master’s · Champaign, IL

Score 84.0 of 100
  • Cost24/40
  • Size30/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$15,545
Out-of-state
$30,348
Grads/yr
856.3
Field earnings, 1 yr (not scored)
$146,670
Field median debt (not scored)
$18,835

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

#23

Southern University and A & M College

Master of Science in Computer Science · Baton Rouge, LA

Score 83.9 of 100
  • Lowest 10% tuition in this ranking
  • Software engineering track
  • Cost40/40
  • Size19.9/30
  • Research9/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$5,336
Grads/yr
61.3

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

The Master of Science in Computer Science at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge lists five areas of emphasis, and one of them is Programming Languages / Software Engineering. The others are Operating Systems and Architecture, Computational Science, Digital Data Communications, and Data Analytic and Data Mining.

Students in Computational Science can earn the MS in Computer Science and/or a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology. The department says the graduate program allows students to focus on detailed research and to refine software development and database management skills. The university's six-year graduation rate is 27%, and it admits 35% of applicants.

#24

San Diego State University

Master of Science in Computer Science · San Diego, CA

Score 83.1 of 100
  • Cost40/40
  • Size19.1/30
  • Research9/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$7,176
Out-of-state
$16,680
Grads/yr
51

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

The thesis-or-exam choice defines San Diego State's computer science master's. If you take the thesis route, you work closely with faculty on research that addresses real-world problems. If you would rather not write a thesis, you sit a comprehensive exam instead. Coursework spans advanced computing domains, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and software engineering, so you can aim the degree at building software as well as at research. The department points to hands-on experience through internships and collaborative projects with industry partners. Teaching apprenticeships are also available, where you lead undergraduate courses and labs, which is useful if you are weighing a PhD or a teaching role later.

The department lists graduates working as web developers, mobile app developers, cybersecurity analysts and systems architects. The master's sits in a department that also runs a bachelor's in computer science and a separate master's in artificial intelligence and technology, which has an online option; the computer science master's is a different degree. San Diego State is a public university with 41,137 students. Its school-wide graduate tuition averaged $7,176 for California residents and $16,680 for others in 2023-24, and about 51 students a year finish this degree.

#25

University of California-Davis

Master of Science in Computer Science · Davis, CA

Score 83.1 of 100
  • Cost32/40
  • Size21.1/30
  • Research15/15
  • ABET dept.15/15
Grad tuition 2023–24, in-state
$12,264
Out-of-state
$27,366
Grads/yr
79

School-wide average across all graduate students; excludes program fees.

You don't need GRE scores to apply to UC Davis's computer science master's. You do need a bachelor's degree, a 3.0 minimum GPA, three letters of recommendation and transcripts. Applicants are also expected to show undergraduate proficiency in three areas, theory, software and operating systems, with a B or higher in each course used. Students can be admitted with some of those proficiencies still outstanding and finish them before advancing to candidacy. You choose a plan around how you want to finish. Plan I is a 30-unit degree ending in a written thesis. Plan II is 36 units and ends in a project deliverable or an oral or written exam.

Most students pick their plan at the end of the third quarter and can switch before advancing to candidacy. The coursework includes 12 units from three graduate core areas, Theory, Software and Systems, with one four-unit course from each. The Software core includes ECS 260 Software Engineering and ECS 245 Analysis of Software Artifacts. Electives run 12 to 24 units depending on the plan. UC Davis is a public university with 40,065 students. Its school-wide graduate tuition averaged $12,264 for California residents and $27,366 for others in 2023-24, and about 79 students a year finish this degree.

Top 25

What the top 25 have in common

The top 25 of the 213 ranked computer science master’s programs charge a median of $9,459 in tuition, against $12,611 for the rest. Tuition carries 40 of the 100 points and program size 30, so the leaders pair a lower graduate price with a program large enough to graduate students every year. All 25 are at R1 or R2 research universities, and all 25 in an ABET-accredited department. 25 of the top 25 are public universities.

FigureTop 25Ranked
26 to 213
Median tuition, 2023–24$9,459$12,611
Median graduates a year130.025.9
At an R1 or R2 university25 of 25103 of 188
ABET-accredited department25 of 2585 of 188
Public universities25 of 25107 of 188
Can be completed online1 of 258 of 188

Tuition and graduation rate: IPEDS. Graduates a year: IPEDS completions, 3-year average. Online: the program’s own page.

Cost

What computer science master’s programs cost

Published tuition for 2023–24, before aid, from IPEDS.

$9,120 Public, in-state median
$27,810 Private median

Across the 213 ranked computer science master’s programs, graduate tuition, the school-wide average for 2023–24 runs from $1,260 to $66,716 a year. Half charge less than $12,264, and 79charge under $10,000. The 132 public universities have a median of $9,120; the 81 private ones, $27,810.

Lowest
$1,260
25th percentile
$7,920
Median
$12,264
75th percentile
$21,375
Highest
$66,716

The five lowest-tuition programs in the ranking

  1. Bridgewater State $1,260 · #82 · score 68.1
  2. Georgia Southwestern State $3,492 · #84 · score 67.8
  3. Fitchburg State $3,510 · #43 · score 77.6
  4. A&M-San Antonio $3,978 · #95 · score 64.9
  5. University of North Carolina at Charlotte $4,467 · #46 · score 77.0

These are published prices before financial aid. The graduate figure is a school-wide average that leaves out program fees, so a program with its own rate can differ. Check each school’s net price calculator before comparing two schools on cost alone.

Where to study

Where the computer science master’s programs are

The 213 computer science master’s programs on this page are spread across 39 states and DC. California has the most, with 33. The highest-ranked, North Carolina State University at Raleigh, is in North Carolina.

Each state page lists every software engineering and computer science program in the state, with local pay for software developers from BLS. To search by metro instead, start with software engineering programs by city.

Careers

Jobs and pay after the degree

What software developers earn and how fast the job is growing, from BLS.

Most computer science master’s graduates who build software are counted by BLS as software developers, the same job our software engineering rankings point to. Software developers earned a median of $135,980 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the middle half between $105,210 and $171,980. About 1,688,000 people held the job.

BLS projects software developer jobs to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 95,300 openings a year. Software quality assurance analysts and testers, a related job BLS tracks separately, earned a median of $104,300, and that job is projected to grow 5.7% over the same decade.

$135,980 Median pay, software developers BLS OEWS, May 2025
10.2% Projected job growth, 2025-35 BLS projections, 2025-35
95,300 Openings a year BLS projections, 2025-35

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.

How to choose

How to choose a computer science master’s for software engineering

The score builds a shortlist; these questions settle it.

A master’s ranking has less to work with than a bachelor’s one. ABET doesn’t accredit these programs and no federal source reports a graduate completion rate, so the score uses price, size, the school’s research activity and the accreditation of its bachelor’s. It can’t see the courses, so read the shortlist’s own pages for the parts below.

A software engineering track

A track points the electives at building software: requirements, architecture, testing and team projects on top of the core in algorithms and systems. 4 of the 213 ranked programs name one on the school’s own page, including Missouri-Kansas City and Southern University and A & M College in the top 25. If a school offers both degrees, compare the track with its software engineering master’s.

Thesis, project or coursework

A thesis suits someone heading toward a PhD or a research job; a project leaves you with a portfolio piece; coursework alone is the fastest finish. In the top 25, 19 program descriptions mention a thesis and 8 a capstone, a project option or a non-thesis route. Check which option is required before you apply.

What you will pay

The tuition column is the IPEDS school-wide graduate average for 2023–24, which leaves out program fees. The campus programs here have a median of $12,216 a year. If a program charges by the credit, multiply its own rate by its credit total, then add fees. If you are working, ask whether your employer reimburses tuition.

Still choosing a bachelor’s?

If you don’t hold a bachelor’s yet, start with our computer science bachelor’s ranking, which adds ABET accreditation and graduation rate to the score. Software engineering vs computer science compares the two fields area by area.

Programs not ranked here, including the 80 without a school page naming the degree, are still listed on each state page.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How are the computer science master’s programs ranked?

Each program is scored out of 100 on graduate tuition for 2023–24 (40 points), graduates a year (30, full marks at 500 a year), the school’s Carnegie research classification (15) and whether the same school’s software engineering or computer science bachelor’s is on ABET’s list (15). 213 programs have every figure and a school page that names the degree computer science. It is the same rubric as our software engineering master’s ranking.

Is a master’s in computer science worth it for a software engineer?

It can be, if it adds what your first degree lacked: systems, algorithms, machine learning or a software engineering track. Software developers earned a median of $135,980 in May 2025, and computer and information research scientists, a job that usually asks for a master’s, earned $140,300. Weigh that against the tuition and the years out of work.

How much does a master’s in computer science cost?

At the 204 campus programs ranked here, IPEDS graduate tuition for 2023–24 runs $1,260 to $66,716 a year, with a median of $12,216. It is the school-wide graduate average and leaves out program fees and aid.

Can I get a computer science master’s without a computer science bachelor’s?

Many programs admit students from other fields, often with prerequisite or bridge courses in programming, data structures and discrete math. Read each admission page for the courses it expects before you apply.

Do computer science master’s programs require the GRE?

It varies, so check each admission page. In the top 25, University of Georgia (GRE optional) and UC Davis (no GRE required) state a policy plainly, and the table shows it under the school’s name.

Why isn’t every computer science master’s program ranked?

A program is ranked only when the school’s own page names the degree computer science and every scored figure describes it. 80 have no such page that we found, 1 are missing a figure and 5 are newer or set their own price. None is scored on a guess, and each still appears on its state page.

Sources

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of these. Numbers are computed from the data at build time, never typed in.

  1. 1 NCES IPEDS completions, 2021-22 to 2023-24 The program list and graduates a year, averaged over three award years, first major only.
  2. 2 NCES IPEDS institutional charges, 2023-24 Annual tuition at the program’s own level: undergraduate for bachelor’s programs; for master’s, the school-wide average graduate tuition, which excludes program fees.
  3. 3 NCES IPEDS institutional characteristics, HD2024 The school’s 2021 Carnegie Classification (R1, R2, doctoral/professional), for the master’s research-activity factor.
  4. 4 NCES IPEDS distance education, 2023-24 Programs offered entirely online; used for the Format column only where the program’s page doesn’t state a format.
  5. 5 ABET Accredited Program Search Programs accredited by ABET’s Computing or Engineering Accreditation Commission. Read .
  6. 6 Each school’s own program page The degree’s name, which decides whether a program is ranked, and the software engineering track, capstone and co-op facts on the cards, each quoted from the saved page.
  7. 7 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 National pay for software developers and for software quality assurance analysts and testers.
  8. 8 BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 Projected job growth and openings a year, 2025 to 2035.