What are the best CSUs for computer science

[JT04]

I have recently applied to and gotten into some CSU colleges and want some advice as to which have well respected and high quality CS programs.

So far I have gotten into

San Francisco
Bakersfield
Sonoma
Fresno
Sacramento
East Bay
Stanislaus

I am still awaiting decision for Pomona and San Diego but am expecting to be rejected.

I want to go to a school that will provide me with good opportunities for internships and jobs while also having a good social life.

I am leaning towards Sac State but I have heard some bad things about their CS program which makes me want to reconsider.

I would appreciate some advice as I am having a really hard time deciding where I want to go.

[diskusr]

What about San Jose State, Cal Poly SLO? Their CS programs are better than the ones you have listed.

[JT04]

San Jose was my first choice but I didnt get in, I have yet to hear back from ponoma.

[Gumbymom]

Although ABET accreditation is not a requirement for Computer Science it does provide an assurance that the CS program meets specific standards.

You can check each campuses status here: https://amspub.abet.org/aps/name-search?searchType=institution

Also compare each campuses 4 year plan/curriculum along with the CS electives to determine if the campuses have an area of interest you would like to pursue.

For location, SFSU would put you in proximity of many CS employers for internship opportunities.

The Sacramento area is also attracting many tech companies.

[ucscuuw]

@JT04
If you don’t get into CPP then SFSU is probably the best, primarily because of access to industry in the Bay Area.

[ucbalumnus]

East Bay is also in the area.

But check the course offerings and requirements to see which look more interesting to you.

Most of the campuses do have high commuter populations.

[parentkeith]

The possible outcomes from all of those campuses is good. You can get a great job completing a CS degree from any of them. Which will you be happiest at for the next four years? If you have a good living situation, make friends and balance your studies you are more likely to be at the upper part of your class and by extension have access to the best post graduate opportunities.
The only caveat is if you expect to move through the material well, make sure the college has a graduate program so you can take more advanced classes.

[simba9]

Cal Poly SLO has the best reputation for CS of the Cal State’s, but you should be able to get a job with a CS degree from any of them. After 2-3 years, where you went to school becomes fairly meaningless, as it’s your job experience and skills that matter a lot more.

My favorite CSU campus was always Chico State, and I’ve worked with multiple Chico State CS grads who were pretty good. (I’m a retired software developer with a CS degree.)

[CaDad69]

My son is making a similar choices across a variety of CSUs + ASU. We are planning on visiting the local SoCal area CSUs plus SF, Sac State, Fresno and ASU for the non-local options. I would highly recommending checking out the F section of the schools most recent common data set to get a feel for how many students live on campus. Definitely recommend visiting each school to get a feel for the dorms, surrounding area and general vibe. I’m pretty Jr’s decision will come down to dorm/food/gym/surrounding area, then academics. Even though he understands that most CSUs are “commuter schools”, he’s looking for the most traditional college feel within his options. I agree with some of the other posters that you can’t go wrong with a CS degree from any school, particularly the CSUs you mentioned.

FYI, the top CSUs for CS according to USN ('23) are SLO, SDSU, SJSU, CPP, SFSU, CSUF, LB, CSUN, Sac State with the rest unranked. But definitely take those with a grain of salt. Personally, based on your list, I’d say the tops are SFSU, Fresno and Sac State for a combination of fun (on or off campus) and CS major academics. Make sure you compare the CS courses at your top picks as well! Good luck with your choices!