Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Purdue University West Lafayette

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Purdue gives students a strong foundation in programming, algorithms, computer systems, and software development while allowing them to specialize through advanced computer science tracks. It suits students who want to build technical expertise for careers in areas such as artificial intelligence, software engineering, cybersecurity, data science, systems, and computing research.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students begin with CS 18000 Problem Solving and Object-Oriented Programming, developing core programming and problem-solving skills, followed by CS 18200 Foundations of Computer Science and CS 24000 Programming in C. Mathematics and supporting courses such as Calculus I and II, English, and language studies complement the computing foundation.

Second Year: The curriculum progresses into the technical foundations of computing through CS 25000 Computer Architecture, CS 25100 Data Structures and Algorithms, and CS 25200 Systems Programming. Students also continue advanced mathematics, including Calculus III and Linear Algebra, while completing general education and elective requirements.

Third Year: Students develop more advanced computing knowledge through subjects such as CS 38100 Introduction to the Analysis of Algorithms, CS 35200 Compilers: Principles and Practice, and CS 35400 Operating Systems. This stage also provides opportunities to begin building expertise through track-related courses and electives in areas such as networking, security, software engineering, or machine learning.

Fourth Year: Students complete advanced CS track electives and use their remaining elective space to deepen their chosen area of computer science or pursue interdisciplinary interests. Depending on their selected pathway, students can study areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Computer Networks, Programming Languages, Software Engineering, Security, Visual Computing, or Computational Science and Engineering.

Focus Areas: Computational Science and Engineering, Visual Computing, Database and Information Systems, Algorithmic Foundations, Machine Intelligence, Programming Languages, Security, Software Engineering, Systems Software.

Learning Outcomes: Problem solving, object-oriented programming, C programming, algorithms and data structures, computer architecture, systems programming, software development, computational thinking, programming languages, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, database systems, computer networks, technical teamwork.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation) : Not stated on Purdue's official Computer Science program pages as ABET-accredited; therefore, no specific professional accreditation is claimed here.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): Purdue University ranked #88 globally and No. 9 among U.S. public universities, with Purdue specifically highlighting its strong employer reputation and career outcomes. This is a university-level ranking rather than a ranking specifically for the Computer Science B.S.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Purdue University’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science develop practical skills through dedicated instructional laboratories, collaborative project spaces, specialized computing environments, and research opportunities. The Department of Computer Science operates nine instructional laboratories with more than 230 Linux-based workstations, including collaborative labs designed for group learning, while students can also experiment with devices such as Raspberry Pi systems, VR headsets, drones, sensors, and microcontrollers.

Students can build practical experience through:

Collaborative project laboratories: Purdue CS provides dedicated collaborative labs where students can work together using interactive technology; team-oriented facilities support activities such as design reviews, code reviews, presentations, and group projects.
Linux and specialized computing labs: The Department operates nine instructional labs with more than 230 X86-based workstations running Linux, supporting undergraduate Computer Science coursework and hands-on programming.
Xinu Lab: The Xinu Lab (HAAS 257) gives students access to backend machines where they can run customized operating-system images, supporting practical work in networking and operating systems courses.
Devices Lab: Students can check out equipment for academic projects, including virtual-reality headsets, microcontrollers, mini-computers, sensors, electronics kits, mini drones, and mobile-computing devices, enabling experimentation beyond conventional programming environments.
Graphics computing: Purdue's graphics laboratory provides workstations equipped with NVIDIA GTX 970 GPUs to support CUDA development in Computer Science graphics courses.
Networking and research computing: Through the Department and Purdue Research Computing, students and researchers can work with high-performance resources including the Bell, Gilbreth, and Halstead computing clusters, GPU resources, and large-scale storage.
Undergraduate research: Students can begin Computer Science research as early as their freshman year, depending on the project and faculty requirements. Opportunities include research through Purdue CS, the Office of Undergraduate Research, PURPL, SURF, and DURI, as well as external NSF REU opportunities.
Research internships: Purdue CS offers research internships in which undergraduate students work with Purdue research teams on cutting-edge projects, participate in the day-to-day activities of research laboratories, and contribute to different aspects of CS research.
Internships and co-ops: The department supports professional experience through CS 39699 Professional Practice Internship and cooperative education courses including CS 29199, CS 29299, and CS 39333.
Career-connected projects: Purdue CS maintains opportunities involving employers and external organizations, including current internship and project opportunities with companies such as Oracle, NBCUniversal, Disney, Uline, and US Foods, alongside research and local-business projects.
Research and instructional software environments: Students have access to Linux, Windows, and Solaris computing environments, while the department's specialized facilities support areas including operating systems, networking, graphics, devices, and high-performance computing.

Progression & Future Opportunities

: The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Purdue prepares students for careers across software development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data, systems, and other computing fields, with Purdue reporting strong demand for its computer science graduates. Recent 2024–25 departmental results show graduates accepting positions with major technology companies including Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook, as well as startups and organizations across multiple industries.

Typical career roles: Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer, Cybersecurity Specialist

Career development and progression are supported through:

Purdue Career Gateway: Purdue's centralized career platform allows students to search and apply for internships and full-time positions, schedule interviews, and find employers attending career fairs and information sessions. The platform replaced Handshake and other previous career systems in 2026.
Computer Science Career Fair: The Department of Computer Science runs an exclusive career fair for CS, Data Science, and AI majors, connecting students directly with corporate partners. The 2026 event included employers such as Accenture, Amazon, Capital One, Caterpillar, Costco, Carvana, and Allied Solutions, with opportunities for both internships and full-time employment.
Career advising: Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities (CCO) provides appointments for career/major exploration, internship and job-search strategies, interview preparation, job-offer negotiation, and graduate-school planning.
Departmental support: The CS/DS/AI Welcome and Support Center at West Lafayette provides assistance with resumes, undergraduate research, internships, and graduate-school planning, with students able to drop in or schedule appointments through Boiler Connect.
Employment and salary: For the 2024–25 BS Computer Science graduating classes, Purdue's departmental survey received responses from 445 of 584 graduates (76%), and the average self-reported starting salary was $108,505. Among students reporting employment, 32% received a bonus and/or relocation allowance; reported bonus ranges were $2,500–$25,000 in the Midwest and $3,000–$50,000 in the West.
Industry partnerships: Purdue CS operates a Corporate Partners Program designed to connect companies with students and faculty for recruiting, research collaboration, career fairs, company days, technology talks, mixers, and class projects.
Specific industry engagement: Purdue's CS corporate partners and recruiting activities include companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Capital One, Accenture, Caterpillar, and Carvana, giving students opportunities to engage with employers through recruiting events, internships, projects, and full-time employment.
Research and long-term progression: Purdue's corporate partnerships also support research projects in areas such as high-performance algorithms, graphics and visualization, cybersecurity, blockchain, access control, and computer systems, helping students build experience relevant to advanced technical careers and graduate research.
Accreditation: The B.S. in Computer Science at Purdue University West Lafayette is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, providing external quality assurance for the computing program and a recognized professional foundation for long-term career progression.
Graduation outcomes: Purdue's latest departmental placement results demonstrate that CS graduates progress into employment across major technology companies and startups, while the department also provides direct pathways into graduate education through its M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Computer Science.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into Purdue's M.S. in Computer Science, Ph.D. in Computer Science, or related graduate fields such as computational science and engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, or other computing disciplines. Purdue also offers a 4+1 BS/MS pathway, allowing eligible CS majors to earn both the bachelor's and master's degrees in approximately five years, with approved graduate coursework counting toward both degrees.