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University Park, PA · Computer science

Computer science at Penn State

Penn State graduates about 1,238 computer science majors a year, 12% of its graduating class. That puts it 49th of 691 schools we score for computer science, a standout program at 87 out of 100. Its current catalog lists 94 undergraduate courses in the field, more than 95% of the schools we've counted. Graduates in the major earn a median $104,000 four years out, 1.18× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $99 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

87/100Standout#49 of 691 for computer science →
Graduates a year1,23812% of the class
Courses in the catalog94more than 95% of schools
Median pay 4 years out$104,0001.18× the same major nationally
Research in the field$99Ma year, NSF
Admit rate61%whole school
SAT middle 50%1210–1390whole school

Around Penn State

The Nursing Sciences building at the University Park campus of Penn State Univer
Nursing Sciences Building at Penn StatePhoto: JohnDziak · CC0 · source
University Park, PA, USA
University Park, PA, USA - panoramio (8)Photo: thomasrive · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
The Thomas Building at Penn State University Park. It contains classrooms, the s
Thomas Building Penn State University ParkPhoto: JohnDziak · CC0 · source
Hetzel Union Building-Robeson Center at Penn State University
HUB Robeson Center, west side entrancePhoto: JohnDziak · CC0 · source

Where computer science happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: University Park Data Center, Engineering Design and Innovation Building, Verne M Willaman Gateway to the Sciences, Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building Construction, Radiation Science Engineering Center Storage Building, Millennium Science Complex, Agricultural Engineering Building, Computer Building, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Building, Erickson Food Science Building, Huck Life Sciences Building, Agricultural Science and Industries Building.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 279 · Dorm 62 · Student housing 45 · Athletics 13 · Arts 13 · Dining 8.

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Nearby in the computer science ranking

  1. Brandeis University 88
  2. Wellesley College 88
  3. Middlebury College 88
  4. Barnard College 88
  5. Purdue University–Main Campus 87
  6. Stevens Institute of Technology 87
  7. Harvey Mudd College 87
  8. Virginia Tech 86

Other strong majors at Penn State

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Penn State with every school we score in computer science. It weighs the school's overall strength; how many students graduate in the major and what share of the class they are; research spending in the field (NSF); early pay against the same major nationally; how many courses the catalog lists; and test scores. 80+ is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid. Sources: US Department of Education (College Scorecard, IPEDS), NSF HERD, each school's current course catalog, OpenStreetMap and Wikimedia Commons.

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