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The Best Universities for Computer Science in the USA (2025)
Written by Vincent Hedman
Why Study Computer Science in the USA
There are many reasons why someone might want to study Computer Science at a university in the USA. Here are just a few:
- In the USA, Computer Science programmes are typically very comprehensive, covering a broad range of topics from programming languages to software engineering to artificial intelligence.
- Many top universities in the USA have strong Computer Science departments, with world-renowned faculty and cutting-edge research facilities.
- Studying in the USA provides an immersive experience into its multicultural society. Campuses are typically welcoming towards international students which helps foster a vibrant inclusive student life.
- The USA is home to many major tech conferences and events, such as the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and SXSW Interactive Festival, which can be great networking opportunities for students interested in pursuing a career in tech.
The Best Universities for Computer Science in the USA
The following tables give the 10 top universities in the USA for Computer Science, according to global and local university rankings. It can show you which American universities are amongst the best in the world - and help you compare institutions on an international level.
This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education, QS and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).
Each ranking system uses its own methodology, with different factors having more or less influence on a university's result.
Our guide has more information on how to use international rankings as a postgraduate student.
| University | USA Rank | Global Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 1 | 3 |
| Stanford University | 2 | 5 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | =3 | =6 |
| Princeton University | =3 | =6 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 5 | =8 |
| Harvard University | 6 | 10 |
| California Institute of Technology | 7 | 15 |
| Cornell University | 8 | 16 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 9 | 17 |
| University of Washington | 10 | 18 |
| This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education. Visit their website for more information. | ||
What should I know about the Times Higher Education rankings?
The Times Higher Education rankings are strong in academic focus and diverse teaching metrics, but do not include employer-specific metrics. Additionally, the rankings may not include all specialist institutions.
| University | USA Rank | Global Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 1 | 1 |
| Stanford University | 2 | 2 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 3 | 3 |
| Harvard University | 4 | 7 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 5 | 8 |
| Princeton University | 6 | 13 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 7 | 16 |
| New York University | 8 | 17 |
| Cornell University | 9 | 18 |
| University of Washington | 10 | 19 |
| This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by QS World University Rankings. Visit their website for more information. | ||
What should I know about the QS rankings?
The QS World University Rankings are designed to meet the needs of prospective students, with more weight given to student-centric metrics such as staff/student ratio, international recruitment and employer opinion. The rankings are balanced between qualitative and quantitative data, but give less weight to research than some other rankings.
| University | USA Rank | Global Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 1 | 1 |
| Stanford University | 2 | 3 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 3 | 4 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 4 | 5 |
| University of Texas at Austin | 5 | 8 |
| Harvard University | 6 | 10 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | 7 | 15 |
| Columbia University | 8 | 20 |
| University of Southern California | 9 | 25 |
| New York University | 10 | 26 |
| This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Academic Ranking of World Universities. Visit their website for more information. | ||
What should I know about the ARWU rankings?
The ARWU rankings reflect the presence of elite academics and the future academic success of graduates. However, they do not directly assess the quality of education at a university or take into account other aspects of university performance.
Last updated: 02 April 2025
