RE: https://mastodon.social/@theamericanquorum/117474482806896513
US computer science enrolment is falling, but demand for computing skills isn’t
https://www.theamericanquorum.com/computer-science-enrollment-slide-tests-colleges-ai-era-expansion-plans/
― enrolment across the US is falling after a decade of growth. Colleges must rethink staffing, facilities and courses, though long-term demand for computing skills remains strong
― cites recent MarketWatch reporting.
#ComputerScience #HigherEducation #Enrolment #Enrollment #TechJobs #Universities #CSEducation
National picture: The National Student Clearinghouse found that undergraduate computing enrolment fell in every sector in spring 2026, even though overall undergraduate numbers rose 1.3%. The falls were 8.4% at four-year institutions, 9.3% at mainly associate-degree institutions that also award bachelor’s degrees, and 11.2% at two-year colleges. The Computing Research Association’s survey found new bachelor’s enrolment down 12.9% in 2025, with new master’s and doctoral enrolment down 10.3% and 15%. The two datasets use different samples, so the percentages aren’t comparable, but they point the same way. Retention is also weak: 85% of computer science students who began in fall 2024 returned for a second year, the lowest rate among the ten largest fields.
Campus examples: Arizona State’s computer science BS fell 14.3% (5,844 to 5,008 between fall 2024 and fall 2025). Tennessee, Knoxville fell from 672 to 555 after nearly a decade of growth.
The risk for colleges: Hiring, labs and buildings are planned years ahead, while enrolment can swing quickly. Cutting too hard risks a shortfall if demand recovers, and assuming growth will resume risks expensive spare capacity.
Not the end of computing: The article argues students may be reacting to a shaky entry-level job market and to layoffs and automation headlines. The Bureau of Labor Statistics still projects 10% growth in software developer roles from 2025 to 2035 (against 3% for all occupations), with about 106,100 openings a year. Some students may be moving into AI, data science or cybersecurity courses: a 2026 study counted over 350 undergraduate AI programmes across 560 institutions, though their requirements vary widely.
Conclusion: Treat the decline as a planning signal, not a verdict on the subject. Departments should track introductory course demand, major declarations, transfers between related programmes, retention and graduate outcomes to tell a temporary dip from a real shift. They should also keep the lasting foundations (algorithms, data structures, statistics, systems, ethics) distinct from fashionable tools.
https://claude.ai/share/99b8b18d-b5d6-4ebb-8f14-e224fc5fbfff