The Computing Research Association (CRA) today released a report — Computing Degree and Enrollment Trends, 2010-2011 — providing summary data from its annual Taulbee survey of Ph.D.-granting departments in computer science and allied fields in the U.S. and Canada.

As posted on CRA’s Policy Blog:

Enrollments in undergraduate computer science programs rose 9.6 percent in the 2011-12 school year, the fourth straight year of increase…

 

The data [in the report compare] schools that responded to both this year’s survey and last. Overall enrollment — including schools that did not participate in the survey last year — increased by 11.5 percent per department compared to the 2010-11 school year. The report also suggests that student interest in computer science may even be higher than the enrollment statistics indicate, noting that enrollments at some schools are constrained by enrollment caps in computer science departments. Free of these caps, in place because of faculty or infrastructure limitations, the report suggests that enrollments might have reflected even larger increases.

 

The number of bachelor’s degrees in computer science awarded by U.S. schools also increased by 10.5 percent in the 2010-11 school year, according to the report. Among schools who responded to both year’s surveys, the increase was 12.9 percent.

 

Total Ph.D. production in computing programs held steady in 2010-11, with 1,782 degrees granted.

The Taulbee survey documents trends in student enrollment, degree production, employment of graduates, and faculty salaries.

Full results from this year’s survey will appear in the May issue of CRA’s Computing Research News.