2024 Best Computer Science Schools in California
40
Colleges in California
13,175
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
If you pursue a degree in
computer science, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #8 most popular program in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.
College Factual reviewed 40 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of computer science. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 13,175 degrees in computer science during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Computer Science School
Your choice of computer science school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for computer science schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Computer Science Rankings by Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Computer Science Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you.
When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.
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Featured Computer Science Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
AS in Computer Science
Learn the applied programming skills needed to fill in-demand tech roles when you earn your online AS in Computer Science at Southern New Hampshire University.
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BS in Computer Science
Learn the front-end design and back-end development skills employers look for in full stack software developers with this online bachelor's degree in computer science from Southern New Hampshire University.
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BS in Computer Science - Software Engineering
With a software engineering degree, you'll learn the fundamental concepts and principles – a systematic approach used to develop software on time, on budget and within specifications – throughout your online college classes at SNHU.
Learn More
Best Schools for Computer Science in California
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the computer science degree levels they offer.
10 Top California Schools in Computer Science
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
6th
Most Popular In CA
656
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
Stanford University is a good option for students pursuing a degree in computer science. Stanford is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Stanford. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.
There were roughly 656 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in computer science from Stanford UniversityDoctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
4th
Most Popular In CA
903
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
University of California - Berkeley is a wonderful choice for students interested in a degree in computer science. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were roughly 903 computer science students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in computer science from University of California - BerkeleyDoctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
29th
Most Popular In CA
78
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
California Institute of Technology is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in computer science. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Pasadena. A Best Colleges rank of #31 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Caltech is a great school overall.
There were roughly 78 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Caltech in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in computer science from California Institute of TechnologyDoctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In CA
1,015
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
It is hard to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a degree in computer science. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were about 1015 computer science students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in computer science from University of Southern CaliforniaDoctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
3rd
Most Popular In CA
819
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
UCSD is a very large public university located in the city of La Jolla. A Best Colleges rank of #38 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UCSD is a great university overall.
There were approximately 819 computer science students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in computer science from University of California - San DiegoDoctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In CA
884
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
UC Irvine is a very large public university located in the city of Irvine. A Best Colleges rank of #61 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UC Irvine is a great university overall.
There were approximately 884 computer science students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in computer science from University of California - IrvineBachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
40th
Most Popular In CA
49
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
Harvey Mudd College is a fairly small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Claremont. A Best Colleges rank of #35 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Harvey Mudd College is a great college overall.
There were approximately 49 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Harvey Mudd College in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in computer science from Harvey Mudd CollegeBachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
51st
Most Popular In CA
50
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
Located in the suburb of Claremont, Pomona is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #57 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Pomona is a great college overall.
There were about 50 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Pomona in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in computer science from Pomona CollegeDoctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
5th
Most Popular In CA
657
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the small city of Santa Cruz. A Best Colleges rank of #102 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UC Santa Cruz is a great university overall.
There were about 657 computer science students who graduated with this degree at UC Santa Cruz in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in computer science from University of California - Santa CruzDoctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
20th
Most Popular In CA
220
Computer Science Degrees Awarded
Located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #45 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UCSB is a great university overall.
There were about 220 computer science students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in computer science from University of California - Santa Barbara
