US Computer Science Enrollment Falls for First Time in Two Decades

For the first time in roughly 20 years, computer science enrollment in US colleges has declined, according to research by Hoover Institution economist Jacob Light. Analyzing over 50 million course sections across 1,019 colleges, Light found CS class enrollment dropped about 4.6% year-on-year at the average school. National data from the National Student Clearinghouse shows undergraduate CS enrollment at four-year colleges fell 8.1% in autumn 2025, from about 659,700 to 606,100 students. This follows a decade-long boom where CS bachelor's degrees more than doubled from 56,000 in 2014 to 122,000 in 2024. The decline coincides with the mainstream adoption of AI coding assistants and a cooling entry-level software job market. However, Light does not attribute the drop solely to AI, listing five possible drivers including weaker math preparation, immigration shifts, and the rise of data science. Experts note enrollment remains above 2022 levels, and the trend may signal a broader reassessment of the value of a CS degree amid AI advancements.