Computer science enrollment drops as students pivot to AI degrees

At the University of California, a public university system in the US, computer science enrollment dropped 6% last year, following a 3% decline in 2024, according to reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle. This downturn in traditional computing majors occurred even as overall college enrollment climbed 2% nationally, according to January data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The divergence suggests that student interest is shifting away from standard computer science pathways.

This shift comes as educational institutions in the US and China adapt to artificial intelligence. In China, academic institutions have moved to integrate the technology directly into their systems. According to an MIT Technology Review report last July, nearly 60% of Chinese students and faculty use AI tools multiple times daily. Chinese institutions have institutionalized this adoption: Zhejiang University made AI coursework mandatory, while Tsinghua University created new interdisciplinary AI colleges to focus on the technology.

In the US, universities are responding with their own specialized offerings. MIT launched an AI and decision-making major, while the University of South Florida enrolled more than 3,000 students in a new AI and cybersecurity college during its fall semester, as reported by the New York Times in December. Additionally, the University at Buffalo launched an AI and Society department, which received more than 200 applicants for its programs.

However, integrating AI into American higher education has introduced institutional friction. During an interview in October, UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts highlighted the resistance among some academic staff as the university pushes for AI integration. “No one’s going to say to students after they graduate, ‘Do the best job you can, but if you use AI, you’ll be in trouble,’” Roberts said. He noted that despite this reality, some faculty members are effectively saying exactly that to their students right now.

Despite internal debates, student demand is driving a broader transition. A survey by the Computing Research Association, a nonprofit organization for computing research, found that 62% of respondents reported that their computing programs saw undergraduate enrollment decline this fall. This shift is also drawing attention from admissions consultancies like College Zoom, which track how families navigate these changing academic pathways. Rather than abandoning technology, students appear to be migrating toward programs that directly emphasize AI skills.

Why it matters

The decline in traditional computer science enrollment alongside the rapid adoption of AI-focused degrees suggests a significant shift in higher education as students prioritize AI-related skills for the job market.