Stephanie Hughes

These days, you're less likely to hear computer science.

From American Public Media, this is Marketplace Tech.

I'm Stephanie Hughes.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the number of students enrolling in computer and information science decreased this past fall from the year before.

That's at both the graduate and undergraduate level.

It's the first drop since 2020.

Meanwhile, the Computing Research Association says there's been a decline in a number of computing-related majors.

I spoke about it with Carrie George, who's with the CRA's Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline.

What does that say to you?

Yeah, let's talk a little bit more about that.

You know, a lot of tech companies have said they'll need fewer workers in the future.

They'll just use artificial intelligence instead.

So are students kind of hearing that and responding accordingly?

I understand you've heard from colleges that say a decline in the number of international students coming to the U.S.

is a factor.

Tell me more about that.

While computer science majors are down, your survey found that computer engineering majors are up.

Tell me what the difference is between the two.

They want to actually, like, get in there and make things because the robots can't do that yet.

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