US Computer Science Enrollment Falls 12.4%

Enrollment in U.S. computer and information sciences programs fell 12.4% at four-year colleges this fall, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center said Oct. 29. The preliminary data show double-digit drops at two-year colleges and graduate schools too, even as overall college enrollment held steady.

Key takeaways

• Computer science enrollment fell 12.4% at four-year schools, 12.3% at two-year colleges and 10.4% at the graduate level in fall 2026.
• Total postsecondary enrollment rose 0.2%, and health majors grew 2.0% to 6.2%.
• It is at least the third straight term of computer science declines in Clearinghouse data.

How much did computer science enrollment drop in fall 2026?

The Clearinghouse report covers 7.92 million enrollments reported as of Sept. 24, 2026, from 46.0% of the U.S. colleges and universities that submit data to it. The figures are preliminary, and a final report is due in January 2027.

Computer and information sciences was the clear outlier. The report described the losses as "double-digit decreases across institutions," at every level it tracks.

Is overall college enrollment falling too?

No. Total enrollment edged up 0.2%. Undergraduate enrollment grew 0.6%, down from 2.4% growth in fall 2025. Community colleges, up 1.2%, were the only sector to grow, while public four-year schools rose 0.3% and private nonprofit four-year schools were flat.

Graduate enrollment fell 1.6%, led by a 3.7% drop in master's programs. Doctoral enrollment slipped 0.5%.

"These preliminary results show enrollment holding relatively steady overall, but that stability doesn't tell the whole story," said Matthew Holsapple, senior director of research at the Clearinghouse.

Context: a slide that began in 2025

The fall drop deepens a trend the Clearinghouse has tracked for a year. Its final fall 2025 report, released Jan. 15, found computer science enrollment down at every award level and institution type, from 3.6% to 14.0% at the graduate level, while total enrollment grew 1.0%.

In spring 2026, undergraduate computer science enrollment fell 8.4% at four-year schools and 11.2% at two-year colleges, the Clearinghouse said in an Aug. 11 analysis. Overall undergraduate enrollment rose 1.3% that term.

The same analysis found that 85.0% of bachelor's computer science students who started in fall 2024 returned for a second fall. That was the lowest rate among the 10 most popular bachelor's majors and 1.3 points below the fall 2022 cohort.

The Clearinghouse does not say why students are leaving the field. The drop coincides with the rapid spread of AI coding agents, which some coverage has tied to students' career worries. The enrollment figures by themselves cannot show cause.

What's next

The final fall 2026 report in January will show whether the preliminary declines hold once more institutions report. It will also show whether the growth in health majors holds, and the Clearinghouse has said future reports will indicate whether the computing decline is a long-term shift.

FAQ

How much did computer science enrollment fall in fall 2026?

Preliminary Clearinghouse data show drops of 12.4% at four-year colleges, 12.3% at two-year colleges and 10.4% in graduate programs compared with fall 2025.

Which majors are growing instead?

Health majors grew across all award and institution types, by 2.0% to 6.2%, according to the same report.

Are the numbers final?

No. They reflect 46.0% of reporting institutions as of Sept. 24, and the Clearinghouse will publish final figures in January 2027.

References

• Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights Series: Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends — National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (Oct. 29, 2026)
• Total Higher Ed Enrollment Holds Steady in Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends Report — National Student Clearinghouse via PR Newswire (Oct. 29, 2026)
• Computer Science Enrollment Is Cooling — National Student Clearinghouse (Aug. 11, 2026)
• Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights Series: Final Fall Enrollment Trends — National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (Jan. 15, 2026)