Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs Rankings

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

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

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

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

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

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

Georgia Tech, located in the heart of Atlanta, offers a wide range of student activities. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, an NCAA Division I team, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference and have a fierce rivalry with the University of Georgia. Since 1961, the football team has been led onto the field at home games by the Ramblin' Wreck, a restored 1930 Model A Ford Sport Coupe. Georgia Tech has a small but vibrant Greek community. Freshmen are offered housing, but aren't required to live on campus. In addition to its campuses in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia Tech has campuses in France, Ireland, Costa Rica, Singapore and China.Georgia Tech has six colleges. Its highly ranked graduate schools include the College of Engineering and Scheller College of Business. Georgia Tech is very active in research. The Georgia Tech Research Institute conducts government and industry research, and the school's efforts are key to the Georgia Research Alliance, which plays a role in the state's economic development strategy. Famous alumni include Mike Duke, former president and CEO of Walmart; Bobby Jones, founder of The Masters golf tournament; and former professional baseball player Nomar Garciaparra. John Heisman was Georgia Tech’s first full-time football coach, and the Heisman Memorial Trophy was named in his honor. The school's newspaper for faculty and staff, The Whistle, is named for the steam whistle in the Tech Tower that blows in intervals with the campus class schedule, and each time the Yellow Jackets score a touchdown.

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

The University of Illinois is located in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign in east-central Illinois, only a few hours from Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis. The school’s Fighting Illini participate in more than 20 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are part of the Big Ten Conference. The university boasts one of the largest Greek systems in the country, and almost a quarter of the student body is involved. It’s not hard to find something to do on campus with more than 1,600 student organizations, including professional, political and philanthropic clubs. All freshmen are required to live on campus.The University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign comprises 15 colleges and schools. Its School of Information Sciences, College of Engineering and Department of Psychology are among the best in the country. The school’s College of Business, College of Education and College of Law are also highly ranked. The University of Illinois is considered a school with the highest level of research activity, according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. It was the first school to provide disability access to all university services, curricula and facilities. Notable alumni include Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert and the co-founder of YouTube, Steve Chen. 

Located north of downtown Seattle, the University of Washington is one of the oldest public universities on the West Coast. It is also a cutting-edge research institution, receiving significant yearly federal funding, and hosting an annual undergraduate research symposium for students to present their work to the community. The university has a highly ranked School of Medicine, College of Engineering and Michael G. Foster School of Business. Known as a commuter school, the university does not require freshmen to live on campus, but it encourages students who do to conserve energy and recycle. Students can join one of the 950-plus student organizations on campus, including about 70 sororities and fraternities. Nearly three-fourths of UW graduates remain in the state post-graduation.Beyond UW’s main campus in Seattle, the university has campuses in Bothell and Tacoma, Washington. The university was founded in Seattle in 1861, and the Bothell and Tacoma locations were established in 1990. All three UW campuses offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs.Those looking for an honors program can consider UW's, which gives undergraduate students a chance to attend smaller classes, pursue special projects and have more interaction with UW faculty members. Students can choose between the interdisciplinary and departmental honors tracks. The first is more generally focused, and the latter provides an opportunity for in-depth study within a particular major. Extra ambitious students can pursue both types of honors. Students can apply to the interdisciplinary honors program when they apply to UW or during the end of their freshman year. Students submit departmental honors applications after they choose their major.