The hottest college major hit a wall. What happened?
The number of students enrolling in computer science programs at four-year US colleges dropped 8.1% in 2025, the largest one-year decline since 2020. Many students are instead opting for related fields like data analytics and data science.
The number of four-year computer science degrees granted in the US rose fivefold from 2008 to 2024. However, enrollment in computer science programs at four-year colleges dropped 8.1% in 2025, the largest one-year decline since 2020. The decline is not uniform across schools, but it is a national trend. Many students are instead enrolling in related fields like data analytics and data science, with combined enrollments topping 35,000 in 2025. Some colleges are creating specialized majors in AI, data science, robotics, and cybersecurity. The shift may be due to students splintering into related disciplines rather than abandoning computer science altogether.
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