The program ranks in the Top 10 among public institutions overall and for the specialties of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The University of Maryland’s undergraduate computer science program ranks No. 17 overall in the 2027 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges.” UMD ranks in the Top 10 among public institutions overall and for the specialties of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
“Undergraduate computer science programs have only been ranked by U.S. News & World Report for the past seven years, and the University of Maryland has ranked in the top 20 every year," said Matthias Zwicker, chair of UMD’s Department of Computer Science and holder of the Elizabeth Iribe Chair for Innovation and the Phillip H. and Catherine C. Horvitz Professorship. “Above all, this is a testament to the outstanding commitment to excellence of our students and faculty. I couldn't be more proud of their achievements.”
UMD boasts one of the largest computer science programs in the country, with 3,000 undergraduate computer science majors who can pursue a specialization in cybersecurity, data science, machine learning or quantum information. UMD ranks No. 1 among non-online U.S. universities for conferring the most undergraduate degrees in computer and information science, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The 2025 Graduation Survey administered by the University Career Center reported a 95% placement rate of UMD’s computer science graduates with a median starting salary of $119,000 and a range of notable employers, including Amazon, Capital One, Meta, Bloomberg, Google and Microsoft. Of the survey respondents, 78% reported full-time employment and 16% continued their education.
“The University of Maryland's undergraduate computer science program gives students the depth and breadth to lead in the technologies shaping our future, from artificial intelligence to cybersecurity,” said Amitabh Varshney, dean of UMD’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences and a professor of computer science. “We are proud to be consistently recognized among the nation’s best for preparing the next generation of innovators and leaders in computing.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Computer Science announced plans to launch a new Bachelor of Science degree in AI in Fall 2027. In this program, students will learn to build AI systems and algorithms from the ground up, understanding the training of models from data and systems perspectives, and then use those techniques in interdisciplinary applications.
Graduates of UMD’s undergraduate computer science program include: Michael Antonov ’03, Oculus co-founder; David Baggett ’92, Inky founder; Sergey Brin ’93, Google co-founder; Katherine Calvin ’03, former NASA chief scientist; Anthony Casalena ’05, Squarespace founder; Jonathan Chen ’14, Nitra founder; Judith Dotson ’85, retired Booz Allen Hamilton president of the global defense sector; Josh Kamdjou ’14, Sublime Security founder; Akash Magoon ’18, Adonis co-founder; Ruvi Kitov ’97, Tufin co-founder; Cassandra Lewis ’09, Rogue Studios London founder; Andy Looney ’86 and Kristin Looney ’88, Looney Labs co-founders; Idris Mokhtarzada ’10 and Zeki Mokhtarzada ’01, Truebill co-founders; Sujal Patel ’96, Nautilus Biotechnology co-founder; Andrew Reisse '01, Oculus co-founder; Jagdeep Singh ’86, Rhoda AI founder; and Adam Wenchel ’99, Arthur co-founder.
UMD’s graduate computer science program ranks 12th overall (No. 7 among public institutions) according to U.S. News & World Report.
