Computer science enrollments soared last year, rising 30%

[OhioChick]

Tech studies are cool again as students see degrees leading to jobs in many fields; Ph.D. enrollment reaches new high, survey finds

March 8, 2013 04:36 PM ET

The number of new undergraduate computing majors in U.S. computer science departments increased more than 29% last year, a pace called "astonishing" by the Computing Research Association.

The increase was the fifth straight annual computer science enrollment gain, according to the CRA's annual surveyof computer science departments at Ph.D.-granting institutions.

The 2011-12 academic year also saw the third straight year of double digit growth at these schools, according to the survey.

The CRA also reports gains by schools who participated in in the survey both this year and last year. The enrollment gain for those schools was nearly 23%, it said.

More: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9237459/Computer_science_enrollments_soared_last_year_rising_30_

[antigop]

1. K & R nt

[Rozlee]

2. Isn't this a field that's easily outsourced?

I mean, it's great, but I know that some jobs in computing are portable and have been sent to India and Pakistan. Right now, I personally think that healthcare is the way to go. With the ACA, 30 million Americans are going to be getting on the health rolls and there is already a shortage of nursing and allied healthcare personnel as it is. Plus, with the wave of baby boomers aging, we're going to need to brace ourselves for another population that will require increased medical needs. I'm a retired RN, and my inbox is always cluttered with emails from hospital staffing agencies begging for contracts. I can only see it getting worse.

[ChromeFoundry]

3. So, tell me again...

Why do these companies claim that there are not enough qualified candidates to fill the jobs, and "must" resort to hiring even more H-1b applicants?

The increase was the fifth straight annual computer science enrollment gain, according to the CRA's annual surveyof computer science departments at Ph.D.-granting institutions.

[antigop]

4. as you know, corporations don't want to pay for qualified candidates..if there is a shortage,

then salaries should be going through the roof.

[OhioChick]

6. +1000 n/t

[DavidDvorkin]

5. Historically, CS is a field students go into because of the promise of big salaries

and then drop out of because of the difficulty of the subject matter.

So a more important number is the increase/decrease in how many CS degrees are granted. Any big increase in that number should start showing up in another year, based on the three years of increased enrollment in the major.