A new report from Validated Insights shows that enrollments in Computer Science and IT degrees are increasing consistently, though some are performing better than others.
According to a newly released report from higher education marketing and research firm Validated Insights, computer science and information technology (CS/IT) related degree programs have experienced strong growth recently, with some sub-fields growing rapidly. At the same time, there are caution signals in some places.
According to the report, the number of certificates and degrees in CS/IT awarded by colleges and universities tripled from 2011 to 2023. Over the past five years enrollment in these programs has grown at a 7.2% annually, to more than 1.3 million students. Online CS/IT enrollment outpaced overall growth in these fields, posting a 10.4% yearly growth rate over the past five years, the report found.
“Computer science and IT-related fields of study continue to be areas of growth nearly across the board,” said Brady Colby, Head of Market Research at Validated Insights and founder of Thirty Two Edu, which was acquired by Validated Insights in 2023. “Strong enrollments in these areas also follow through to increasing completion numbers and consistent interest from the key demographic of adult learners,” he said.
In specific CS/IT-related areas of study, the new report found consistent growth in enrollments. This included a very high growth rate in one area specifically – data analytics & data science, which grew a remarkable 195% per year in the past four years.
Examples of these specific areas of study include:
- From Fall 2018 to Fall 2023, enrollment in AI/ML programs across all award levels grew at a 44.8% per year.
- From 2019 to 2024, enrollment in BS in computer science programs grew at 4.9% annually, and MS in computer science programs grew at a 10.1%.
- From Fall 2018 to Fall 2024, total enrollment in BS in cybersecurity programs grew at a 22.5% per year, and MS in cybersecurity enrollment grew at a 6.2%.
- From Fall 2020 to Fall 2024, enrollment in BS in data analytics & data science programs grew at 179.2% annually, and enrollment in MS in data analytics & data science programs grew at a 200.5% per year.
The strong growth in these study fields is echoed by confidence among school leaders, especially in the area of online programs. The report found that over the past five years the percentage of university leaders saying they believed that online CS/IT programs are “poised for strong growth” doubled, growing from 13% to 26%.
Another interesting finding from the report is that, “Taking a Computer Science course in high school increases the likelihood that a student will declare Computer Science as their major in the future by 10%.” This may indicate that expanding future study in CS and IT fields may aid future enrollment interest.
“The pipeline is good, the confidence is high,” said Colby. “And in fields such as data analysis and artificial intelligence, we see very, very strong market signals in the enrollment numbers and in the labor market,” he said.
Still, the report found areas in the CS and IT market that may be cause for mild concern. For example, according to the report, “While BS in Computer Science completions grew at a 9.7% a year from 2018 to 2023, the year-over-year growth declined from 14.6% in 2019 to just 4.3% in 2023.” Potentially more troubling is that, according to the report, “Entry-level tech hiring declined 25% year-over-year in 2024 in spite of the broader market recovery.”
“Entry-level jobs in these CS areas are no longer a universal given,” Colby said. “That reality may lead people to ultimately decide to continue their studies at the graduate level, or it may lead to shifts in student preferences, but we have yet to see the impact of this borne out in the higher education space,” he said.
Like previous reports from Validated Insights, the new CS/IT education and market report explored dynamics such as career demands, job postings, and completion rates.
This report is the first from Validated Insights to examine the computer science education marketplace. Previous reports have studied the market for online program management companies (OPM), MBA programs, nursing education, and trade schools.
Also like its other benchmark education market reports, the report on CS/IT fields will be updated regularly, along with other timely and relevant information about higher education and the higher education market generally. To receive future reports from Validated Insights, follow Higher Ed News by VI on LinkedIn.
