Computer Science

Computer Science

Computer with code

A degree in computer science can take you anywhere. Your path begins at Iowa State in a community of tech and data innovators, where you’ll learn from faculty who are experts in artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics and autonomous systems, software engineering, and more.

Explore your degree options

When you major in computer science at Iowa State, you can choose between our Bachelor of Science degree (the most common path) or our Bachelor of Arts degree. Our curriculum is designed for students who do not have previous programming experience, although more and more students are entering the major with some experience.

Our Bachelor of Science degree in computer science is ABET-accredited. The ABET accreditation is a specialized external accreditation for science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology programs. It recognizes programs that have received international recognition for quality, promote best practices in education, and meet other key standards.

Our Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science gives you the same foundation in computer science and the same advanced skills in programming and computation. This path may be for you if you want to major in computer science while taking a wider variety of courses than the Bachelor of Science degree program allows.

We also offer a concurrent degree path that allows you to earn both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in computer science in as few as five years. Your academic advisor can help you assess if this path is right for you.

Sign that reads: "Contemplate motivate innovate"

Everything you need to unearth your potential

Find your home here in a community of innovators. Pursue your curiosity in our virtual reality or robotics teaching labs. Start something in our innovation or entrepreneurship programs. Intern for major companies and gain hands-on skills in the latest technologies.

Make connections in our learning community

Our Computer Science Learning Community can help you make connections during your first year. You’ll take your first programming, math, and orientation courses with a small group of students and work with a peer mentor who is an upper-level student in computer science.

We even offer a residential learning community option, where you can live, learn, and socialize with other computer science majors.

Our computer science major prepares you for careers such as software developer, software engineer, data scientist, data analyst, and other positions. Computer science connects to every industry, so you can chart your course in fields that interest you, from health care to entertainment to finance.

Our computer science program helps you launch your career through real-life learning experiences such as internships and professional development opportunities with our industry partners.

Here are just a few of the employers who hired our recent bachelor’s degree graduates:

  • Amazon
  • Bank of America
  • Capital One
  • Collins Aerospace
  • General Mills
  • Gold Creek Games
  • Kingland Systems Corp
  • Microsoft
  • MidAmerican Energy
  • Optum
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers
  • QCI
  • Sony Interactive Entertainment
  • Telligen
  • Valent BioSciences Corporation

Get to know the LAS career services team to help you explore the many career opportunities a degree in computer science can open for you.

Your future in the making

  • 93%
    of our graduates are employed or occupied within six months of graduation.
  • $86,000
    Average salary of our computer science graduates.

Take the next step