What Are the 5 In-Demand Technology Majors Beyond Computer Science

Drawn by the promise of lucrative technological careers, students worldwide flock to computer science programmes in unprecedented numbers. In India, computer science emerged as the most sought-after course in 2023. The US is experiencing a similar trend, with the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reporting that undergraduate computer science programmes saw their highest growth rate in Spring 2023, with an additional 62,000 students enrolling. However, computer science is one of many paths to success in the tech industry. Let’s explore alternative pathways and examine their potential as lucrative and fulfilling careers. 

1) Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are rapidly growing careers that focus on developing algorithms that enable machines to learn from and make data-based decisions, making it an excellent major. It focuses on studying and developing intelligent systems and algorithms that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence. This major combines elements of computer science, mathematics, and engineering. Students with this major can work in various fields such as finance, retail or healthcare and often become machine learning engineers, AI developers or data scientists. According to Payscale, the average salary for a Machine Learning Engineer is $118,898, while the average salary for an AI developer is $108,634. 

Here are a few US universities where you can pursue a major in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: 

University	Location	What makes the course unique
Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh, NY	The curriculum includes coursework in computer science, math, statistics, computational modelling, machine learning and symbolic computation. The programme also includes AI for social good, where students take ethics and social responsibility and can participate in independent study projects in areas like healthcare, transportation, and education.
Stanford University	Stanford, CA	Students typically choose a Symbolic Systems major with a focus on Artificial Intelligence. They enrol in various courses covering programming in AI, along with integrated and flexible requirements that emphasise a multidisciplinary approach to AI.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Cambridge, MA	Students learn to analyse and create systems interacting with the external world through perception, communication, and action. These systems can learn, make decisions, and adapt to changes. The major combines electrical engineering, computer science, statistics, operations research, and brain and cognitive sciences.
University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley, CA	Data Science, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science majors can study up-and-coming research in AI at the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society, collaborating across departments, including humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Georgia Institute of Technology	Atlanta, GA	At the undergraduate level, AI and ML are mainly found in three threads: Intelligence, People, and Devices. Popular courses include Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Natural Language Understanding, Deep Learning, Knowledge-based AI, Game AI, and Cognitive Science.

Source: University Websites 

2) Web Design

A Web Design major offers a well-rounded education in developing aesthetically pleasing and highly functional websites. With a curriculum that covers graphic design, UX/UI design, and web development, students are well-prepared for various roles in the digital and creative industries. Web design majors can have multiple degree titles, such as Bachelor of Science in Design, Bachelor of Arts in Design or Bachelor of Science in Computer Graphic Technology, so students must research their program to ensure it covers all aspects of web development.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average wage for web and digital interface designers was $98,540, and for web developers, it was $84,960.

Here are a few US universities where you can pursue a major in Web Design:

University	Location	What makes the course unique
Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh, NY	In the Bachelor of Design programme, students can select a track: communication design, product design, or environments design for environments. UI/UX designers, product designers, environment designers, graphic/communication designers, illustrators, biomedical designers, animators, fashion designers, and artists are all housed under one department.
New York University	New York, NY	The Bachelor of Science programme centres on user experience design, augmented reality, motion capture, and courses from the Tandon Engineering core and media studies courses taken in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication (MCC).
Stanford University	Stanford, CA	The  Bachelor of Science Design degree is an interdisciplinary program that spans departments and is highly collaborative. The coursework includes Mechanical Engineering, Art, Computer Science, Psychology, and other fields.
UC Davis	Davis, California	UC Davis hosts the University of California’s sole comprehensive Department of Design, where students explore diverse areas of design practice rather than focusing on a single path. The UC Davis Design Program offers a research-focused undergraduate (B.A.) curriculum integrating design, art, and engineering.
Purdue University	West Lafayette, IN	Students in the web design degree programme gain a broad spectrum of programming capabilities and concepts in an environment continuously updated with new technology and software. A solid STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math) through courses including trigonometry, calculus, and physics is also integrated with economics, statistics, business, and management. With a unique study plan, students can gain two degrees (BS and MS) in computer graphic technology in five years.

Source: University Websites 

3) Cybersecurity

A cybersecurity major teaches students to identify and respond to common cybersecurity risks. Students learn about common security attacks, security protection software and risk management, and managing data, information systems and networks. Common courses include cryptography, hacking and computer science theory, advanced research and engineering techniques. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for information security analysts was $120,360, with employment to grow 32 percent in the next decade. According to Payscale, the average salary for a cybersecurity consultant is $95,715.

Here are a few US universities where you can pursue a major in cybersecurity major:

University	Location	What makes the course unique
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, Michigan	The Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance will prepare students to understand various challenges of computer security and criminal justice. The Cybersecurity and Privacy Concentration covers fundamental disciplines like confidentiality, integrity, access control, security architecture and systems, and attack-defense strategies. Students can also opt for the Digital Forensics concentration, where they can gain expertise in tools and techniques to recover, secure and analyse digital evidence that could be used in a court of law.
Georgia Institute of Technology	Atlanta, GA	The School of Cybersecurity and Privacy is Georgia Tech’s first intercollege academic unit. Undergraduates pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering can choose the thread in cybersecurity, which teaches the fundamentals of secure system design and cyber defence. Undergraduates in computer science combine threads to match their career interests and can take courses in cybersecurity.
Illinois Institute of Technology	Chicago, Illinois	The Bachelor of Science in Computer and Cybersecurity Engineering prepares students for an engineering career involving designing and applying secure and resilient computer hardware and software systems. This unique programme combines computer engineering and cybersecurity topics into one major.
Purdue University	West Lafayette, IN	The Bachelor of Science Cybersecurity major at Purdue provides a comprehensive IT education and a holistic approach that combines secure coding, cryptography, digital forensics and UNIX fundamentals with analytical thinking and criminology.
University of Cincinnati	Cincinnati, Ohio	The Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Engineering at the University of Cincinnati integrates essential courses like science and mathematics, electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, political science, and ethics.  Students build an impressive resume and professional network in a nationally-recognised co-op programme with companies such as Northrop Grumman and Booz Allen and government laboratories such as the National Security Agency (NSA).

Source: University Websites 

4) Information Science

Information science majors learn how to create systems for finding and storing data. They study the broader scope of information exchange and gain an understanding of how people interact with, use, and sell information. Information technology careers encompass designing, developing, and supporting computer hardware, software, and network systems. Employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow faster than average from 2022 to 2032. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for computer and information systems managers is $169,510. 

Here are a few US universities where you can pursue a major in Information Technology:

University	Location	What makes the course unique
University of Pennsylvania	Philadephia, PA	The Department of Computer and Information Science offers two types of undergraduate degrees: the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) and the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS). The programme also provides several options for students to customise their degrees to combine a technology-based degree with considerable coursework in the liberal arts, communications, or fine arts. This degree is designed primarily for students whose interests are not oriented toward a professional engineering career.
University of Texas, Dallas	Dallas, Texas	Students take a CIS Tech Capstone course in their senior year, where they work in teams to apply the skills and concepts they have learned in the programme to address a business need in collaboration with the Jindal School of Management. Since business relies on information systems, students develop a deep understanding of business and how to use tech to address business needs.
Texas A&M University	College Station, Texas	The Computer Information Systems (CIS) programme is geared towards computer system applications in management situations. Graduates often find careers in cybersecurity, software engineering/development, and related fields. Coursework builds proficiency in computing, operating systems, programming languages, website design, tech support, business analysis, networking, data design and infrastructure.
University of South Carolina	Columbia, SC	A Computer Information Systems (CIS) major integrates computing and business. In this programme, students focus on the practical application of computer science and engineering, strategic thinking about technology and effective business communication. It differs from other computing majors in that a minor in Business Information Management is built into the degree.

Source: University Websites 

5) Data Science

In a rapidly evolving digital world, data science stands out as a dynamic and transformative field, wielding significant influence across various industries, including healthcare, eCommerce, law enforcement, marketing and advertising, transportation, and sports. According to The Economist, data has surpassed oil as the most valuable global resource, given that 97 per cent of businesses leverage data for operational needs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these professionals earn an average annual salary of $108,020, with a projected 35 per cent growth in employment over the next decade, resulting in 17,700 job openings annually.

Here are a few US universities where you can pursue a major in Data Science: 

University	Location	What makes the course unique
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Cambridge, MA	The interdisciplinary major provides students with a portfolio of skills in economics, computing, and data science that are increasingly valued in both the business world and academia. The economics and computer science disciplines substantially overlap in their reliance on game theory and mathematical modelling techniques and their use of data analytics.
Carnegie Mellon	Pittsburgh, NY	Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Statistics & Data Science is world-renowned for the significance of its contributions to statistical theory and practice and for its outstanding interdisciplinary applied research. It will prepare you to innovate with data and tackle pressing local, national and global challenges.
University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley, CA	The Data Science Major will equip students to draw sound conclusions from data in context, using knowledge of statistical inference, computational processes, data management strategies, domain knowledge, and theory. Students will learn to carry out data analyses throughout the entire cycle of the investigative process in scientific and practical contexts. Students also understand the human and ethical implications of data analytics and integrate that knowledge in designing and carrying out their work.
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI	The Data Science major gives students a foundation in computer science, statistics, and mathematics that are relevant for analysing and manipulating voluminous and/or complex data. Students majoring in data science will learn computer programming, data analysis, and database systems and learn to think critically about the process of understanding data. Students will also take a capstone experience course that aims to synthesise the skills and knowledge learned in the various data science disciplines. The Data Science major is a rigorous programme that covers the practical use of Data Science methods and the theoretical properties underpinning the performance of the techniques and algorithms.
Stanford University	Stanford, CA	Data Science major is the successor to the Mathematical and Computational Science (MCS) degree. Students pursuing a Data Science major will acquire core mathematical knowledge, upon which they will build competencies in computation, optimal decision-making, probabilistic modelling, and statistical inference. The Data Science programme is interdisciplinary in its focus and sponsored by Stanford’s departments of Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Management Science & Engineering.  Students are required to take courses in each of these departments.

Source: University Websites 

While computer science remains a cornerstone for many aspiring tech professionals, there is a rich array of majors beyond it waiting to be explored and harnessed for a promising future in technology. At The Red Pen, we assist applicants in identifying and choosing the college and degree that aligns with their goals and interests. You can read our latest blogs: Unique Advantages of STEM-Designated Majors in the US and Profitable Careers That Will Make You Want to Major in Maths. If you need help with undergraduate applications, please contact us. Our admission specialists look forward to assisting you.