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2024 Best Computer Science Master's Degree Schools in California

25 Colleges in California
3,164 Master's Degrees
Ranked #10 in popularity, computer science is one of the most sought-after master's degree programs in the nation. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 25 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Computer Science Master's Degree Schools in California ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 3,164 master's degrees in computer science during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

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

Best Computer Science Master's Degree Schools in California The computer science master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Other Factors We Consider

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

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

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Computer Science Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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


 

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Computer Science in California

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for computer science students seeking a a master's degree.

10 Top California Schools for a Master's in Computer Science

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
332 Annual Graduates

Every student who is interested in a master's degree in computer science needs to take a look at Stanford University. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in computer science from Stanford University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,066 Annual Graduates

University of Southern California is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in computer science. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in computer science from University of Southern California

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
308 Annual Graduates

It is difficult to beat University of California - San Diego if you wish to pursue a master's degree in computer science. Located in the large city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in computer science from University of California - San Diego

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
164 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat University of California - Irvine if you want to pursue a master's degree in computer science. Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in computer science from University of California - Irvine

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
28 Annual Graduates

UCSB is a very large public university located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara.More information about a master’s in computer science from University of California - Santa Barbara

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
28 Annual Graduates

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a fairly large public university located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo.More information about a master’s in computer science from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
52 Annual Graduates

Located in the small city of Santa Cruz, UC Santa Cruz is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in computer science from University of California - Santa Cruz

8
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
50 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a master’s in computer science from University of San Francisco

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
97 Annual Graduates

UCR is a very large public university located in the large city of Riverside.More information about a master’s in computer science from University of California - Riverside

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
86 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of San Diego, SDSU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in computer science from San Diego State University

Best Computer Science Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Computer Science Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Washington 402 227
Oregon 291 185
Nevada 126 17
Hawaii 110 17
Alaska 65 2

View All Rankings >

Computer Science is one of 0 different types of Computer Science programs to choose from.

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