According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in fields related to computer science is expected to grow by a whopping 15% through 2030 — much faster than average! That makes now a great time to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
The typical cost for an out-of-state bachelor’s degree is around $100,000. Because the cost of a college degree is more expensive than ever, Computer Science Degree Hub went on the hunt for affordable bachelor’s programs.
Ranking Methodology
To come up with our ranking of the 30 most affordable residential bachelor’s degrees in computer science, we began by putting together a list of nearly 120 colleges and universities offering this degree on campus. We then researched each program to determine the estimated program cost for out-of-state students (who will almost always pay more than in-state students). Finally, we ranked each program from lowest to highest estimated program cost. The 30 most affordable residential bachelor’s degrees in computer science are detailed below, in ascending order.
Note: Any tuition numbers are courtesy of that school’s website, and may reflect the tuition for the entire cost of the degree for a student transferring in 0 credits and taking four years to graduate. Our estimates do not include fees. All tuition numbers listed below are accurate as of October 2021.
#1. Mississippi Valley State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Itta Bena, Mississippi
Estimated Program Cost: $32,260
Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) is a public, coeducational, historically black university. It’s located in Leflore County, Mississippi, one mile from the city of Itta Bena. MVSU offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with two tracks to choose from:
- computer science
- information science
Students in the computer science track enroll in an extra calculus class and learn about the Java programming language and numerical analysis. Students in the information science track learn to program in Visual Basic. They take extra business courses including a financial accounting class. Uniquely, nonresidents pay the same tuition and fees as Mississippi residents.
#2. University of Southern Mississippi
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Estimated Program Cost: $39,856
University of Southern Mississippi, also known as Southern Miss, was founded in 1910. It is a coeducational, public, research university. The institution is classified as a doctoral university with higher research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (CCIHE). Southern Miss’ Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a 124-semester hour program. It prepares students for professional careers and graduate school. Students take classes in:
- computer architecture
- object-oriented programming
- software design
The University tied for 220th in U.S. News’ rankings of national universities. Among public schools in the group, Southern Miss tied for 125th. In Washington Monthly’s rankings of national universities, Southern Miss placed 192nd.
#3. Brigham Young University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Provo, Utah
Estimated Program Cost: $43,680
Brigham Young University (BYU) is a private research institution of higher education affiliated with the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from BYU has a wide variety of elective courses including:
- Designing the User Experience
- Large-Scale Distributed System Design
- Tools for Machine Learning
In its higher education book, The Princeton Review included BYU in the following lists:
- The Best 381 Colleges
- Best Western, Top 50 – Colleges That Pay You Back (18th place)
- Best-Run Colleges
- Colleges That Pay You Back w/o Aid.
#4. South Dakota State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Brookings, South Dakota
Estimated Program Cost: $46,692
South Dakota State University (SDSU) is a public, coeducational, research university. The institution is categorized by CCIHE as a doctoral university with higher research activity. SDSU was ranked 234th in Washington Monthly’s list of top national universities. Students in SDSU’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program take hardware courses along with programming and software engineering courses. This helps them understand the interaction between hardware and software. The program ends with two capstone courses where each student is placed on a team to build a significant software project. SDSU placed 202nd in U.S. News‘ rankings of national universities.
#5. Southeast Missouri State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Estimated Program Cost: $49,840
Southeast Missouri State University, commonly known as Southeast, is a public university. The school tied for 103rd place in U.S. News’ ranking for the category of Regional Universities Midwest. Among public schools in the category, Southeast ranked 29th. Southeast offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science that teaches students proficiency in a modern programming language. Core courses include Computer Systems and Data Communications. The school provides a good education relative to its cost, according to Washington Monthly’s school rankings. In the publisher’s list of Best Bang for the Buck – Midwest Colleges, Southeast was ranked 71st. Also, the University was named a top school in the Midwest in The Princeton Review’s college guide.
#6. Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Edwardsville, Illinois
Estimated Program Cost: $51,236
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is a public state university. The University placed 63rd in the Regional Universities Midwest ranking of U.S. News. SIUE ranked 59th in Washington Monthly’s list of top 100 master’s universities. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from SIUE teaches students about:
- web system development
- human-computer interaction design
- algorithms
Students customize their education by choosing five electives from a set of 10 computing courses. In the last couple of years, 80-90% of graduates in the program have received job offers with annual salaries above $55,000 before graduation day.
#7. Missouri State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Springfield, Missouri
Estimated Program Cost: $14,110
Missouri State University (MSU) is a public state university. The school tied for 71st place in U.S. News’ list of top regional universities in the Midwest. Among public schools on the list, MSU tied for 16th place. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a computer science option is a 125-hour program that prepares students to succeed in the workplace. Students learn how to code in Python and C++, two widely used programming languages. They are also exposed to:
- databases
- parallel computing
- internet programming.
#8. Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Edinboro, Pennsylvania
Estimated Program Cost: $56,896
Established in 1857, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is a public, coeducational university. The school has a student: faculty ratio of 18 to 1. Ninety percent of the faculty have terminal degrees in their field of study. Students in Edinboro’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Theoretical Track) learn the fundamentals of the field with classes about:
- programming
- discrete math
- operating systems
- data communications
120 semester credit hours are required to complete the program. The Mathematics and Computer Science Department maintains a computer lab where students can program in C++, Visual Basic, and Lisp on Linux and Unix machines.
#9. University of Central Arkansas
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Conway, Arkansas
Estimated Program Cost: $57,788
Founded in 1907, University of Central Arkansas (UCA) is a public research school located. It was rated 72nd in U.S. News’ list of top regional universities in the South. Among public institutions in the group, UCA ranked 24th. UCA’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science consists of classes about:
- assembly language
- object-oriented software development
- database systems
In Washington Monthly’s college guide, the university placed 73rd in the group of schools classified as Best Bang for the Buck – Southern Colleges. The estimated annual tuition and fees for Arkansas residents is $8,224. Students can get a waiver for out-of-state tuition by living in housing owned or leased by UCA. Also, residents from certain counties contiguous to Arkansas can qualify for in-state tuition.
#10. South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Rapid City, South Dakota
Estimated Program Cost: $58,240
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SD Mines) is a public science and engineering university. The school has a low 15:1 student to teacher ratio and an average undergraduate class size fewer than 20 students.The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from SD Mines prepares students for careers in the industry. The program covers concepts such as:
- finite structures
- computer organization
- analysis of algorithms.
#11. California University of Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
California, Pennsylvania
Estimated Program Cost: $58,692
California University of Pennsylvania (Cal U) is a public institution that was founded in 1852. Cal U is one of the top schools in the Northeast, according to The Princeton Review’s college guide. Students in Cal U’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science take classes in relevant subject areas like:
- data structures
- operating systems
- language translation
Also, computer science majors learn technical computing concepts by programming in Java. The program concludes with two senior project courses where students are introduced to software engineering. They study the history, terminology, and design principles of the field. Then they develop and implement their own software project.
#12. Weber State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Ogden, Utah
Estimated Program Cost: $58,996
Weber State University is a public university. The school tied for 76th place in U.S. News’ rankings of regional universities in the West. Weber State was named a “Green College” and a top school in the West in The Princeton Review’s college guide. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a 126 semester hour program that covers computing subjects including:
- operating systems
- object-oriented programming
- database programming
The Weber State Computer Science Department employs various tutors to help students understand the concepts from their classes. Also, students have access to a Pluralsight account. Pluralsight is an education company which provides online video tutorials on technical topics.
#13. The University of New Orleans
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
New Orleans, Louisiana
Estimated Program Cost: $59,256
The University of New Orleans, or UNO, is a public research university that was established in 1956. The school is classified as a doctoral university with higher research activity by CCIHE. UNO was included in The Princeton Review’s list of The Best 381 Colleges. Students in UNO’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program can choose from three concentrations:
- bioinformatics
- game development
- information assurance
Computer science majors have access to research opportunities and internships through the university’s partnerships with companies in the industry. In U.S. News’ survey of high school guidance counselors, UNO was ranked 220th in the category of national universities. The school placed 299th in Washington Monthly’s ranking of national universities.
#14. Arkansas Tech University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Russellville, Arkansas
Estimated Program Cost: $59,400
Established in 1909, Arkansas Tech University (ATU) is a public institution. The university ranked 97th in U.S. News’ list of top regional universities in the South. ATU placed 40th among public schools in the group. ATU offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science that covers technical topics including:
- data structures
- computer networks
- algorithm design
- systems analysis
The University is a top value school according to Washington Monthly’s college guide. The publisher rated the University 14th in the category of Best Bang for the Buck – South.
#15. University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Estimated Program Cost: $60,696
University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, or UW-Oshkosh – is a public, coeducational, state university. In U.S. News’ ranking of regional universities in the Midwest, the school tied for 79th place. Among public institutions in the group, UW Oshkosh was ranked 19th. UW-Oshkosh offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a computer science emphasis. Students enroll in courses including:
- Mathematics for Computer Science
- Programming Languages
- Compilers
The estimated yearly tuition and fees for Wisconsin residents is $7,600. Minnesota residents who qualify for reciprocity benefits pay $8,338. Through the Midwest Student Exchange Program, residents from Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, or North Dakota pay $10,750. UW-Oshkosh placed 93rd in Washington Monthly’s rankings for the category of Best Bang for the Buck – Midwest.
#16. Westfield State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Westfield, Massachusetts
Estimated Program Cost: $61,420
Westfield State University is a public, comprehensive university located in Westfield, Massachusetts. In its college rankings, U.S. News rated the school 118th for the category of Regional Universities-North. Westfield State placed 38th among public institutions in the category. In Westfield State’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program, students get a well-rounded education with classes about digital electronics and technical writing along with learning about computing topics like software engineering and operating systems. The university has on-campus internship opportunities including working with instructional technologists in the Center for Instructional Technology and maintaining computer networks with the Information Technology Department. Also, computer science majors may intern off-campus with private companies and public organizations.
#17. Southern University and A&M College
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Estimated Program Cost: $61,896
Southern University and A&M College, or SU for short, is a public, historically black, research university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and founded in 1880. The institution was ranked 40th in U.S. News’ list of top historically black colleges and universities. SU offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree program with four concentrations: cybersecurity, information systems, scientific, and mobile. The program teaches computing topics including data networking, symbolic computation, and human-computer interaction. Computer science majors can choose from a variety of elective courses like Cloud Computing, Foundations of Cryptography, Networks and Graph Theory, and Distributed Processing.
#18. University of the District of Columbia
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Information Technology
Washington, D.C.
Estimated Program Cost: $62,000
Located in Washington, D.C., University of the District of Columbia, or UDC, is a public university established in 1851. It is a Tier 2 school according to U.S. News’ college rankings. UDC offers a low faculty to student ratio compared to other universities in the region. UDC’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a 122 credit hour program with an emphasis on algorithms and math. Students take courses in data structures, web development, and software engineering. The program culminates with a senior project in the final year. Students are classified as nonresidents until they apply and qualify for residency in Washington, D.C. or the surrounding metropolitan area. After qualification, residents of Washington, D.C. pay an estimated $7,844 annually for tuition and fees while metro residents pay $8,924.
#19. Florida Memorial University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Miami Gardens, Florida
Estimated Program Cost: $62,144
Florida Memorial University is a private Baptist university located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The school is historically black and a member of the United Negro College Fund. Florida Memorial was rated 37th in the category, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, in U.S. News’ education rankings. Florida Memorial offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science that requires 120 semester credits for completion. Core courses include Computer Organization, Artificial Intelligence, and Complexity & Analysis of Algorithms. Also, students must take classes in physics, calculus, and discrete math. In its college guide, Washington Monthly ranked the university 38th and 75th in the categories, Best Bang for the Buck – Southeast and Baccalaureate Colleges, respectively. Florida Memorial placed 23rd in U.S. News’ ranking of regional colleges in the South.
#20. Utah Valley University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Orem, Utah
Estimated Program Cost: $62,760
Utah Valley University (UVU) is a public institution located in Orem, Utah. UVU is the largest public university in Utah. The school offers over 150 programs – from diplomas and certificates to graduate degrees. Students in the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program from UVU learn about foundational concepts in computing such as discrete math structures, operating systems theory, and database theory. Computer science majors can specialize in one of two emphasis areas: computer science and computer networking. The first area includes coursework about artificial intelligence and compiler construction while the second area covers network programming and TCP/IP.
#21. St. Cloud State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
St. Cloud, Minnesota
Estimated Program Cost: $63,312
St. Cloud State University is a public university in St. Cloud, Minnesota. In U.S. News’ college rankings, the school was rated 115th in the category, Regional Universities Midwest. Among public institutions in the category, St. Cloud tied for 35th place. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from St. Cloud “prepares students for lifelong currency through education and to perform responsibly in a variety of computing related careers, and is designed to meet the outcomes specified by ABET.”. The university placed 75th in Washington Monthly’s ranking of schools in the category, Best Bang for the Buck – Midwest. This program will be fully available online starting in Spring 2021.
#22. Shippensburg University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Estimated Program Cost: $63,696
Shippensburg University, or Ship, is a public University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. The school placed 95th in U.S. News’ higher education ranking for the category of Regional Universities-North. Among public institutions in the category, Ship tied for 28th place. Ship offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with three concentration options: computer graphics, embedded systems, and related discipline. Required courses include Compiler Design, Computer Networks, and Simulation Techniques. Students learn how to program in Java and C in the introductory classes. Internships are available, and the faculty encourages students to participate in them. Computer science graduates and interns from Ship have worked in top companies such as American Airlines, General Electric, Google, and Volvo.
#23. Salem State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Salem, Massachusetts
Estimated Program Cost: $64,592
Salem State University, formerly known as Salem State College, is a public university located 15 miles north of Boston in Salem, Massachusetts. The school is home to 9,000 students, most of which are undergraduates. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Salem State requires 120-semester credits for completion. Students take core classes in software design and computer architecture and choose elective courses on advanced topics including embedded systems, parallel computing, and computation theory. The program concludes with a capstone project course where students design and implement a substantial project and then present it to the computer science faculty.
#24. Fitchburg State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Estimated Program Cost: $64,860
Fitchburg State University is a public institution of higher education in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, a city approximately 50 miles from Boston. The school was founded in 1894. It enrolls around 7,000 students each year and offers over 30 undergraduate degree programs. Fitchburg State’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a unique program because it includes classes about computer hardware along with classes about software programming. Students learn about digital electronics, microprocessors, systems programming, and data structures and work with Windows, Unix, Linux, and cutting-edge database servers. Also, students can earn a game programming concentration by taking four courses in game programming and two courses in game design.
#25. National University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
La Jolla, California
Estimated Program Cost: $65,160
National University is a private, nonprofit university with multiple regional campuses in California. The school is headquartered in La Jolla, California. National has an annual enrollment of around 30,000 students, and over 150,000 students have graduated from its degree programs. National’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science consists of 180 quarter credit hours. Students enroll in courses about discrete structures, algorithm design, and computer architecture. Also, they learn about C++ and Java, two of the most popular programming languages today. The program concludes with two project courses, Computer Science Project I and II, where students create an original project based on the computing concepts they learned from previous classes. National placed 86th in Washington Monthly’s ranking for the category of Best Bang for the Buck – West.
#26. Grambling State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Digital Technologies
Grambling, Louisiana
Estimated Program Cost: $65,576
Grambling State University (GSU) is a public historically black university in Grambling, Louisiana. The school was ranked 40th in U.S. News’ ranking of historically black colleges and universities. GSU has an honors college named E.L. Cole Honors College for students with high academic achievement. Student outcomes for the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science of GSU include understanding the trade-offs between different algorithms, analyzing and defining the requirements for computing problems, and designing and implementing systems to meet company needs. Core coursework includes classes about discrete structures, software engineering, database management systems, and computer networks. Also, computer science majors take three courses of calculus to build a strong foundation in math.
#27. Grove City College
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Grove City, Pennsylvania
Estimated Program Cost: $66,520
Grove City College is a private, Christian, liberal arts college located in Grove City, Pennsylvania. The institution refuses federal funding to protect its independence from federal government oversight over academics and finances. Grove City College is one of the few schools in the nation to refuse federal aid. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Grove City College is a 128 credit hour program with coursework in database management systems, event-driven programming, computer security, and computer graphics. Students are exposed to a variety of programming languages including C++, Smalltalk, and Swift. The college placed 122nd in U.S. News’ ranking of national liberal arts colleges. Also, The Princeton Review included Grove City College in its lists of The Best 381 Colleges, Best Northeastern Colleges, and Colleges That Pay You Back.
#28. Grand Valley State University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Allendale, Michigan
Estimated Program Cost: $66,816
Grand Valley State University, often referred to as GVSU, is a public, coeducational University in Allendale, Michigan. GVSU received the 27th ranking in U.S. News’ list of top regional universities in the Midwest. The University placed third among public institutions in the category. Each student in GVSU’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program must complete an internship to graduate. The University prepares students for this experience with an internship preparation course. GVSU was named a Best Midwestern College and a Green College in The Princeton Review’s higher education guide. The school was rated 54th in Washington Monthly’s ranking of master’s universities. The publisher also ranked GVSU 26th for the category of Best Bang for the Buck – Midwest.
#29. University of Wyoming
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Laramie, Wyoming
Estimated Program Cost: $67,264
University of Wyoming (UW) is a coeducational, public, research university located in Laramie, Wyoming. The school is classified in the category of Doctoral Universities with Higher Research Activity by CCIHE. UW was also named one of The Best 381 Colleges in The Princeton Review’s U.S. college guide. Students in UW’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree program can earn a concentration in business, big data, or international engineering. Core topics include programming, computer organization, software design, algorithms, and data structures. UW placed 171st and 101st in the national university rankings of U.S. News and Washington Monthly. The school also ranked 51st in Washington Monthly’s list of Best Bang for the Buck – Western Colleges.
#30. University of Wisconsin – Stout
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Menomonie, Wisconsin
Estimated Program Cost: $68,560
University of Wisconsin – Stout, or UW-Stout, is a public state university in Menomonie, Wisconsin. UW-Stout ranked 69th in the category, Regional Universities Midwest, in U.S. News’ college rankings. UW-Stout offers a BS in Computer Science and now have concentrations in Game Design and Development, Cyber Security and Secure Software Development, and Mobile Applications. UW-Stout is also designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The BS is accredited by Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET. The university placed 24th in The Princeton Review’s ranking of undergraduate schools for game design.
Related Resources:
- Top 50 Master’s in Computer Science Degree Programs
- Top 50 Bachelor’s in Computer Science Degree Programs
- Top 20 Artificial Intelligence Engineering Schools in the U.S.
- Can You Get a Good Job with Only a Bachelor’s in Computer Science?
- Top 10 Computer Science Degrees Online
- Can I Work From Home with a Computer Science Degree?