Computer science enrollment falls 12% at four-year colleges

Undergraduate enrollment in computer and information sciences fell 12.4% at four-year institutions this fall, according to preliminary data the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center updated Thursday. It fell 12.3% at two-year colleges and 10.4% at the graduate level, while total undergraduate enrollment rose 0.6%.

The decline follows an 8.4% drop at four-year schools in the spring and is accelerating. Students are not waiting for the labor market to settle the question of what entry-level programming jobs are worth. The Clearinghouse data shows the choice. It does not establish that AI caused it. SourcesAB

Sources

• AEnrollment Insights, preliminary fall 2026 (National Student Clearinghouse Research Center)nscresearchcenter.org
• BComputer science degree programs lose students as AI takes jobs (Bloomberg)bloomberg.com

This story ran in the Morning Brief of October 29th 2026.