Computer science enrollments at universities have increased for the third year in a row, meaning the federal government could have a better chance at recruiting this highly skilled, in-demand group.
The Computer Research Association, which tracks enrollments and graduation rates for computer science students, reported this week reported that enrollments in computer science programs were up 10 percent last fall. The third consecutive year of increases indicates that the post-dot-com-crash decline in undergraduate computing program enrollments is over, CRA noted.
More specifically, the numbers of students receiving bachelor's degrees in computer science, computer engineering and information sciences departments in 2010 rose nearly 11 percent, while Master's degree and Ph.D. production in computing programs held steady in 2009-2010, with 6,851 and 1,772 graduates respectively, CRA found.
The survey also found that female enrollment in computer science bachelor's degree programs rose to 13.8 percent in 2010, an increase of 2.5 percent over 2009. The share of minority computer science graduates held steady at 10.3 percent in 2010, the study found.
The CRA survey, which is now in its 40th year, tracks students enrolled at Ph.D.-granting institutions. The survey includes responses from 195 college IT departments.
Brittany Ballenstedt
Brittany Ballenstedt writes Nextgov's Wired Workplace blog, which delves into the issues facing employees who work in the federal information technology sector. Before joining Nextgov, Brittany covered federal pay and benefits issues as a staff correspondent for Government Executive and served as an associate editor for National Journal's Technology Daily. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mansfield University and originally hails from Pennsylvania. She currently lives near Travis Air Force Base, Calif., where her husband is stationed.
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