Computer science in higher education

Date published: 30 April 2026
Student in busy communal area working on their laptop and writing notes

Overview

This short briefing features the latest figures for those studying computer science in higher education. This supplementary report sits alongside our main Engineering and technology in higher education report and includes the number of entries and demographic characteristics. It is based on data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for the academic year 2023/24 and Graduate Outcomes survey data for those who graduated in 2022/23. 

Computer science in higher education 

Who this is for

  • Employers
  • Policymakers
  • Professional Engineering Institutions
  • Researchers

Key findings

  • 44,270 students started computer science courses in higher education in 2023/24
  • 24,275 were first degree undergraduates, 1,755 were studying other undergraduate courses and 18,240 were postgraduate students (taught and research)
  • 19.3% of first degree entrants were women
  • 50.2% of first degree entrants were from a UK minority ethnic group 
  • 13.8% of first degree entrants had a known disability 
  • 12.2% of first degree entrants were from the least advantaged areas in the UK 
  • 73.1% who graduated from computer science engineering degrees were in employment 15 months after graduating