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Master of Computer Science

Final deadline for Summer is February 15, 2025. Apply today!

University of Illinois logo

Master of Computer Science

University of Illinois

Final deadline: February 15, 2025

Start your application or request more info.

Apply

Accredited master's degree

Offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

$19,840 - $24,128 USD

Competitively priced with pay-as-you-go tuition

Finish in 12-36 months

8 courses total, 10-12 hours per week

100% online learning

Hands-on learning from anywhere, no travel required

Careers

MCS Career Opportunities: The demand for computer science jobs is not limited to Silicon Valley. There are positions in nearly every major industry. PayScale indicates that the average salary of an MCS degree-holder is about $17,000 more than those who only hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science. And the projected five-year growth for salaries ranges from 14 to 28 percent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 21 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

MCS-DS Career Opportunities: A 2016 McKinsey & Company study predicts that there will be a shortfall of nearly 250,000 data scientists by 2024, even after estimating a 7-percent-per-year increase in data science graduates. Business Insider cites being a data scientist as the highest-paying job for college graduates at $95,000 per year.

Below are a few highlights of how you can advance your career with the MCS or MCS-DS degree.

Prepare for in-demand jobs
The computer science field is expected to grow by 21% and the data science field by 36% from 2021 to 2031—much faster than average. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Increase your salary
The average salary of a computer scientist in the United States is $131,490 (BLS). The average salary of a data scientist is $145,526 (Indeed).
Expand your network
Illinois Computer Science is part of one of the largest alumni networks in the United States, with more than 800,000 alumni worldwide.
Access career services
Gain access to Handshake, Illinois' campus-wide recruiting platform. Tens of thousands of jobs and internships are posted here annually.

Application Information

Applications are open three times per year, for cohorts starting in the fall, spring, and summer.

Summer 2025 Application Information:

  • Application deadline: February 15, 2025.

Have questions? Please email the Illinois MCS team at online-mcs@siebelschool.illinois.edu .

Build the skills you'll need for your Computer Science degree

Prepare for your computing career, and learn to:

  • Build the computing-specific study skills you’ll need for your degree
  • Apply theoretical perspectives, statistics and mathematics tools to real-life situations and challenges
  • Assess different research practices, theories and sources of information
  • Develop practical programming skills and problem-solving techniques using Python

Get ready for a career in computer science

£48,733 / $108,145 average salary

Computer Science graduates develop a wealth of job-ready skills helping them prepare for a range of roles available globally.(Indeed.com, 2023)

14.5% projected job growth

Job vacancies in computer science are expected to grow globally with an estimated 3.5 million jobs by 2026.(Gitnux 2023)

Access to a range of sectors

Computer science graduates build skills integral to modern life and are therefore in high demand across many different industries including technology, finance, health and more.(QS 2023)

Set your sights on in-demand jobs

  • Computer scientist

  • Computer programmer

  • Software engineer

  • Computer systems analyst

  • Web developer

  • Mobile app developer

  • Creative coder

  • Music/audio engineer

  • Interface designer

  • Database manager

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Career services for students

The University of London Career Service lets you easily access careers and employability support, regardless of your career stage. 

Award-winning staff use a personalised approach, working closely with alumni and leading employers to offer industry-relevant career development guidance through tailored live sessions.

With a range of online support including international vacancy portals, live career webinars and drop-in sessions and careers training modules, the Career Service will help you maximise the potential of your highly sought-after computing skills.

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