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Computer science instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a computer science instructor. Computer science instructors usually study computer science, business, or mathematics. 65% of computer science instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 850 real computer science instructor resumes to see exactly what computer science instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for computer science instructors are the San Jose State University and the San Jose State University.
There are also many online computer science instructor courses to help get the education required to be a computer science instructor.
What education do you need to become a computer science instructor?
What degree do you need to be a computer science instructor?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 8%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a computer science instructor?
- Computer Science, 40%
- Business, 10%
- Mathematics, 8%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for computer science instructors
| Computer science instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| San Jose State University | 6.17% |
| American InterContinental University | 6.17% |
| Temple University | 6.17% |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | 6.17% |
| Mississippi State University | 6.17% |
Best majors for computer science instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 39.7% |
| 2 | Business | 9.9% |
| 3 | Mathematics | 7.5% |
| 4 | Computer Engineering | 5.0% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 4.8% |
Best colleges for computer science instructors
The best colleges for computer science instructors are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.
A computer science instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for computer science instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become computer science instructors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
3. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for computer science instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for computer science instructors
The most affordable schools for computer science instructors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and california state university - los angeles.
If the best universities for computer science instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for computer science instructors.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
10. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for computer science instructors
The hardest universities for computer science instructors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for computer science instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for computer science instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for computer science instructors
The easiest schools for computer science instructors to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and capitol technology university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a computer science instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for computer science instructors.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
4. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
5. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
6. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
7. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
8. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
9. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
10. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
Average computer science instructor salary by education level
| Computer science instructor education level | Computer science instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $74,926 |
| Doctorate Degree | $92,783 |
Computer science instructor education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025