Connecting the dots: For the first time in more than two decades years, computer science enrollment across the University of California system has fallen, a drop some educators see as a reflection of AI reshaping the tech landscape that once made these programs irresistible.
Data from the UC system show that 12,652 undergraduates are majoring in computer science this year, a 6% decline from 2024 and down 9% over two years. That figure still represents nearly double the number of CS majors from a decade ago, but the reversal marks the first sustained retreat since the dot-com bust of the early 2000s.
The downturn comes at a moment of uncertainty for the technology industry. AI tools capable of producing code are changing entry-level software work, while waves of layoffs at established firms have created the perception that the once-stable computer science degree is no longer an automatic path to well-paid employment.
Several people familiar with UC admissions discussions told The San Francisco Chronicle that the shift began to show in September, when counselors at a San Jose conference noted that fewer students – and their parents – viewed computer science as a guaranteed career path.
Admissions consultant David Reynaldo, who works with high school applicants through his firm, College Zoom, said the trend is evident in his client base. "Parents used to push hard for computer science because it led straight to high-paying jobs," he told the publication. "Now, many of them are nudging their kids toward traditional engineering fields – electrical, mechanical, anything that feels more tangible."
While nearly every UC campus experienced enrollment declines, UC San Diego stood out as the exception. The campus introduced California's first undergraduate major specifically in artificial intelligence, and early data suggest it's attracting strong interest.
According to department chair and computer science professor Steven Swanson, about one in five applications to the school's CS department over the past two years has been directed toward the AI program. The degree trains students not only in machine learning and algorithmic design but also in the ethical and social implications of these systems.
"For a program that's so new, it's a great start," Swanson said. Limited enrollment for the initial cohorts was meant to ensure quality and focus, he added, but the department plans to expand capacity as the curriculum matures.
In contrast, other UC campuses are watching computer science numbers flatten or decline. UC Merced saw its computer science and engineering enrollment decline in fall 2025 after it added a separate electrical engineering major, suggesting that some students who might once have declared CS have shifted disciplines.
UCLA and UC Berkeley report similar plateaus, though Berkeley officials note that related majors, such as data science and combined electrical engineering and computer science, remain popular and may be absorbing some of the change.
Across the country, the trend extends beyond California. Figures from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center show a modest decline in computer science enrollment nationwide last fall, indicating the pattern may not be limited to the UC system.
At UCLA, computer science professor and vice chair of undergraduate programs Glenn Reinman said the field is not in crisis but in transition. The department, he said, continues updating its curriculum to reflect new realities. Generative AI, he added, has the potential to transform the profession, but not to erase the need for trained human developers. Students still need to understand how to test and correct AI-generated code, Reinman said. "Our curriculum ensures students are prepared to use AI responsibly, enhancing productivity while maintaining ownership of the code they produce."
At UC Berkeley, spokesperson Janet Gilmore said demand for computing-related programs remains strong. Still, she acknowledged that changes to the process for declaring computer science majors may have compounded the slowdown. Berkeley's separate Data Science major, introduced in 2020, continues to grow even as core CS applications plateau.
Even with the slowdown, computer science remains one of the most applied-to majors across the UC system. What's shifting is motivation. Counselors say students who already have coding experience now seek academic environments that challenge how they think about technology rather than just how to build it.
Image credit: The San Francisco Chronicle