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Top 10 Most Underrated Computer Science Colleges in the U.S.
What’s Covered:
Students who want to study Computer Science in college often seek out name-brand schools such as MIT and Carnegie Mellon, with low acceptance rates, 4.5% and 12%, respectively. While these colleges can certainly give students an excellent education, there are many other schools with strong returns on investment that have the potential to prepare you for a meaningful career.
Based on data we’ve collected over the years, here are the 10 most underrated colleges in the U.S. for students looking to study Computer Science.
How We Put This List Together
Traditional college rankings do a decent job of ranking the best universities, but some serious factors get left out. When we at CollegeVine look to advise families on colleges that are underrated, our primary focus is on outcomes—more specifically financial outcomes like starting salary and ROI, as well as qualitative outcomes like job placements.
We took into consideration the following criteria:
- Cost of attendance and generosity of financial aid & scholarships
- One- and five-year ROI after graduation
- Financial performance of specific majors
- Qualitative data on career outcomes like job placements and grad school progression
The 10 Most Underrated Computer Science Colleges
1. San José State University | SJSU
Location: San Jose, CA
Acceptance Rate: 84%
Undergrad Enrollment: 28,000
Situated in the heart of the tech capital of the U.S., San José State has a 154-acre campus and claims to be the number one supplier of education, engineering, computer science, and business graduates to Silicon Valley.
San José State has an ROI among the top 40. One point of pride for the university is that it’s home to the only research facility in North America dedicated solely to the study of the life of Beethoven. It is also a research partner of NASA Ames Research Center.
Learn more about San José State University and what it takes to get accepted.
2. University of Houston
Location: Houston, TX
Acceptance Rate: 66%
Undergrad Enrollment: 37,900
UH is particularly strong in STEM fields, offering more than 300 degree programs. It ranks among the top 50 for ROI and within the top 200 national universities overall.
Like some other public universities in Texas, UH has assured admissions for high-achieving students, meaning you’re guaranteed admission if you’re in the top 10% of your high school class, or if you meet minimum standardized tests score and grade criteria. There are also many scholarship opportunities.
Learn more about the University of Houston and what it takes to get accepted.
3. Worcester Polytechnic Institute | WPI
Location: Worcester, MA
Acceptance Rate: 60%
Undergrad Enrollment: 5,200
Already well-regarded and ranked within the top 100 national universities, WPI also has a strong ROI, among the top 35. Located close to Boston, the school has a project-based curriculum and offers numerous combined-degree options.
Learn more about Worcester Polytechnic Institute and what it takes to get accepted.
4. Brigham Young University | BYU
Location: Provo, UT
Acceptance Rate: 69%
Undergrad Enrollment: 34,200
The nation’s largest religious university, BYU is affiliated with the Church of Latter-day Saints. You don’t need to be Mormon to attend, although a vast majority of students (more than 98%) are.
Located in Provo, just outside of Salt Lake City, the university is very cheap for out-of-state students at just $29,488 for the total cost of attendance (for non-Latter-day Saints). Given its location in “Silicon Slopes”—a STEM hub along the Wasatch Front that includes Adobe Systems and SanDisk—there are many opportunities for CS majors. BYU is ranked within the top 130 national universities and among the top 30 for ROI.
Learn more about Brigham Young University and what it takes to get accepted.
5. University of Utah
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Acceptance Rate: 86%
Undergrad Enrollment: 26,300
Rated highly in terms of economic value by The Economist and Brookings, the University of Utah is located in Salt Lake City, also in Silicon Slopes. It is ranked 119 by U.S. News and in the top 65 in terms of ROI.
Learn more about the University of Utah and what it takes to get accepted.
6. University of Colorado Boulder
Location: Boulder, CO
Acceptance Rate: 77%
Undergrad Enrollment: 31,000
Known for its STEM and business programs, CU Boulder is a member of the Association of American Universities, an elite group of 71 research universities. It is one of the oldest public universities in the Southwest and typically ranks within the top 100 national universities. It’s also among the top 40 for ROI.
Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder and what it takes to get accepted.
7. Stevens Institute of Technology
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Acceptance Rate: 48%
Undergrad Enrollment: 4,200
Specializing in STEM-oriented fields, Stevens offers many applied-learning and research opportunities. It is located in Hoboken, New Jersey, just outside of New York, and many students are recruited by companies in New Jersey, particularly those in pharma.
A small school with about 4,200 undergraduates, Stevens typically ranks in the top 80 national universities, and is in the top 30 for ROI.
Learn more about Stevens Institute of Technology and what it takes to get accepted.
8. University of Missouri
Location: Columbia, MO
Acceptance Rate: 77%
Undergrad Enrollment: 24,500
Well known for its football team, the Missouri Tigers, Mizzou has an enrollment of more than 31,000 students. Its main campus is located in Columbia, and it is one of only six universities nationwide with schools of medicine, veterinary medicine, law, engineering, agriculture, and a university hospital, all on the same campus.
Mizzou typically ranks around the top 100 national universities, and it is among the top 75 in terms of ROI.
Learn more about the University of Missouri and what it takes to get accepted.
9. University of Illinois Chicago
Location: Chicago, IL
Acceptance Rate: 79%
Undergrad Enrollment: 24,300
UIC is Chicago’s only public research university and it professes to be an “institution vital to the educational, technological and cultural fabric of the region.” It is typically ranked within the top 100 national universities and has an ROI among the top 75.
One perk for first-year students is that they are considered for scholarships based on their college applications. UIC has an Honors College and Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions for several graduate schools and professional programs.
Learn more about the University of Illinois Chicago and what it takes to get accepted.
10. University of Iowa
Location: Iowa City, IA
Acceptance Rate: 86%
Undergrad Enrollment: 22,700
The flagship public university in Iowa, the University of Iowa has many nationally ranked programs in addition to CS. It includes 12 colleges offering over 200 areas of study, and it’s a Big Ten college—making it part of this group of large research universities in the Midwest.
The total cost of attendance of $47,390 is very reasonable for out-of-state students. The university ranks among the top 50 for ROI and typically around the top 100 national universities.
Learn more about the University of Iowa and what it takes to get accepted.
For More Information
Looking for more underrated colleges and universities to explore? Check out The Top 10 Most Underrated Colleges in the U.S.
With these schools in mind, you may have found a college that aligns with your future med school goals. At CollegeVine, we’re committed to making college guidance accessible to all who want it. That’s why, on our college applications guidance platform, you can use our free chancing engine, build a best-fit school list, and learn how to improve your profile—all for free.
Sign up for a CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your journey to a college as a pre-med. Also check out Sage, our AI tutor and advisor, who can improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school by helping you show what you have to offer beyond the numbers!
