In recent years, CS has been red-hot, with not only increasing numbers of CS majors applying but also many professionals from other fields considering a "career switch" to grab a slice of the programmer pie.
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Transitions from humanities, business, engineering, and even zero-background into coding are everywhere. Major social platforms have also firmly grasped this "traffic magnet."
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It's no wonder: CS graduates not only enjoy bright career prospects but also earn far higher salaries than other majors. According to data from Indeed, the average annual salary in the CS industry reaches as high as $104,369, a super-high salary level that is undoubtedly one reason attracting many students to CS.
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So, for international students wanting to study CS in the US, what changes have occurred in the current CS competition landscape and application scope? Today, CheersYou（清柚教育） will take you through everything!
2023 Latest CSRankings
Recently, the most authoritative CSRankings in the computer science field released its latest 2023 rankings.
CMU's CS program is renowned in the industry and has ranked first in the US for over a decade, with application numbers skyrocketing in recent years. UIUC has also overpowered many top US universities, proudly ranking second in CS specialty.
Below are the latest top 20 US CS rankings from 2013-2023:
As the most authoritative CS academic ranking, CSRankings has its own unique methodology. Their rankings are primarily based on the number of publications by faculty at top CS conferences.
The number of publications to some extent reflects a school's academic influence and industry activity. Compared to other university rankings, CSRankings does not include subjective criteria like alumni reviews or survey feedback, making it truly "hardcore."
Everything is Computer Science?
In recent years, the application scope of CS has become broader, and programmers are needed in every industry—truly "everything can be computer science."
Among top-ranked CS schools, there are many interdisciplinary CS programs/branches that integrate with other fields. Currently, the main fields that often cross with CS include: bioinformatics, computer graphics, economics, human-computer interaction, robotics, and visualization.
Let's also look at the specialized CS master's programs/tracks available at the top 5 CS universities!
Carnegie Mellon University
CMU has an independent School of Computer Science, with master's programs in the following departments:
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Computational Biology
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Computer Science
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Human-Computer Interaction
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Language Techonologies
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Machine Learning
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Robotics
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Software and Societal Systems
Taking the HCII program as an example, its programs mainly focus on human-centered human-computer interaction computer science, including human-computer interaction and other interdisciplinary tracks:
Among them, the Master of Human-Computer Interaction is the world's first master's program dedicated to HCI.
This program is a one-year (3-semester) STEM master's program designed to provide students with a solid foundation for careers in user experience and human-computer interaction. As it is an interdisciplinary program, enrolled students come from diverse backgrounds, including design, sociology, business, and computer science.
In the first semester, students focus on core HCI methodologies and techniques; in the second and third semesters, they take electives and complete a capstone project with real clients.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Although UIUC isn't top-ranked in overall US university rankings, its CS program is truly "below only one, above thousands," having ranked second in CSRankings for five consecutive years.
In terms of program options, UIUC's CS graduate programs mainly include:
Take the MS in Bioinformatics as an example: although it is an interdisciplinary program combining CS and bioinformatics, most of the coursework is CS-focused.
In the 36-credit program, 20 credits are CS courses, 4 are statistics, and the remaining 12 are courses related to bioinformatics and biological science.
Among other programs, the Professional Master of Computer Science is specifically for CS undergraduates from UIUC's College of Engineering, where high-achieving students can apply for an accelerated bachelor's-to-master's track.
Additionally, the Illinois Computing Accelerator for Non-Specialists (iCAN) is a friendly option for career-switchers seeking an introduction to CS.
The iCAN program is open to applicants from all academic backgrounds. Graduates will acquire fundamental CS knowledge, allowing them to enter the CS industry or subsequently apply for CS master's programs.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Although MIT ranks third, its prestige and standing in the CS industry remain unparalleled.
MIT's CS is part of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), which includes the Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Artificial Intelligence & Decision-Making departments.
EECS offers four different graduate programs:
Among these, the MEng program is exclusively for outstanding MIT EECS undergraduates. Successful applicants can pursue a combined bachelor's/master's path, graduating in five years with both degrees.
MIT's master's programs also offer various concentrations, including Computer Systems, Applied Physics, Artificial Intelligence, Theoretical Computer Science, etc.
The interdisciplinary nature of MIT itself also makes cross-disciplinary learning between CS and other fields richer and more fulfilling.
University of California, San Diego
UCSD's CS has always been a strong program within the UC system; its CS department is called Computer Science & Engineering (CSE).
UCSD's master's programs are divided into MS and BS-MS. The BS-MS is a five-year combined bachelor's/master's program specifically for outstanding CSE undergraduates.
The MS program is divided into Computer Science and Computer Engineering. Students must select at least three courses from one of the following interdisciplinary elective areas (CE majors must choose from the same area) to ensure depth of study.
In addition to depth, the CS and CE programs also have breadth requirements. CS students must take one course from each of the following three areas; CE students must take two courses from Systems and one from either Theory or Applications.
Stanford University
When talking about Stanford's CS, one cannot overlook its deep connections with Silicon Valley. Stanford is just a 15-minute drive from Silicon Valley, and its former president, Frederick Terman, is known as the "Father of Silicon Valley."
This may be one reason why Stanford holds such a special place in the hearts of CS students.
Stanford's MS CS program offers the following nine specializations:
To give students maximum freedom and flexibility, Stanford MSCS explicitly states that students are not locked into their chosen specialization and can switch to another specialization at any time.
Additionally, the CS graduate program offers dual-degree options, allowing students to pursue a JD or MBA alongside their CS degree.
For different joint degree programs, Stanford has specific application and course requirements; interested students are advised to check the university's official website for details.
CS Job Prospects Are No Longer What They Used to Be
Recently, the job market in the tech industry has been, frankly, grim.
In mid-March, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Meta would lay off 10,000 employees and close about 5,000 open positions. This is Meta's second round of layoffs, following the initial 11,000 job cuts last November.
Before Q1 of this year has even ended, tech layoffs have already exceeded 175,000 people, averaging 2,334 layoffs per day.
Once-envied companies like Amazon, Google, and Meta are now leading the charge with layoffs reaching tens of thousands.
For programmers at all levels, especially new graduates seeking employment, job hunting will be extremely tough. Even with an offer in hand, there's a risk of it being rescinded.
If you face setbacks in your job search, don't doubt yourself—keep improving, diligently practice coding, and try many avenues.
Final Thoughts
In an era of information explosion, the industry's demand for interdisciplinary talent is increasing. As evident from university CS program curricula, CS is no longer the computer science of old but is continuously integrating cross-disciplinary knowledge, undergoing constant upgrades and updates.
Broad scope and great depth are new characteristics of today's CS discipline. For applicants, this represents both greater challenges and new opportunities.
Meanwhile, the employment myth that "studying CS guarantees a job" is long gone. Those who are simply following the crowd and considering a bandwagon switch to coding need to take a step back and think about what they truly want. Without genuine passion and strong perseverance, they will only be weeded out and drowned in this red ocean.
We hope that all students interested in pursuing CS will carefully consider their specific development focus, prepare early, and excel in every aspect. We also wish everyone ultimate success in receiving the offer they desire!
