Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s computer science degree program has been recognized by Research.com in its 2027 Most Valuable Computer Science Degree Programs Ranking in San Antonio. It’s an achievement that highlights the University’s commitment to providing students with an affordable, career-focused education that prepares them for a rapidly evolving technology industry.
Research.com, a data platform that provides rankings, guides, and resources for higher education and scientific research, said its ranking was based on an analysis of a wide range of metrics, including career outcomes, academic rigor, affordability, practical experience, and student satisfaction.
For students like senior computer science major and mathematics minor Nico Gibson, the program’s value goes beyond the classroom.
“It’s been fantastic,” Gibson said. “Very experiential.”
Gibson, who works full-time as an academic services coordinator in the University’s Academic Learning Center, has had the opportunity to apply his classroom knowledge and computer expertise through both his work on campus and undergraduate research.
While taking an artificial intelligence course, Gibson was invited to participate in a research project examining how AI systems can be used to identify, locate and patch vulnerabilities in open-source software.
The project was funded through a collaboration involving the Carnegie Mellon AI Safety Initiative, the National Science Foundation and Google.
Gibson said the opportunity to participate in research as an undergraduate has been one of the biggest advantages of attending A&M-San Antonio.
“Just the fact that as an undergraduate student, I’m able to do research at all feels like it’s a huge advantage being here,” he said.
His computer science skills have also proved valuable in his campus job. Gibson developed data pipeline workflows to automate and verify student tutoring data, reducing errors and the amount of time required to prepare semester and annual reports.
As he approaches graduation, Gibson said his research experience has also changed how he views his future. Before participating in research, he was less certain about pursuing graduate school. Now, he said, graduate education feels like a realistic next step.
That emphasis on hands-on learning and student opportunity is intentional, said Venki Uddameri, professor and chair of the Department of Computational, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences.
Uddameri said one of the program’s key strengths is its ABET accreditation, a nationally recognized standard for programs in computing, engineering and related fields.
“ABET is the gold standard,” Uddameri said. “It says that we are keeping up with the trends in computer science and offering classes that create market-ready engineers. The accreditation requires that we demonstrate continuous improvement and keep pace with industry changes.”
That focus is especially important in computer science, where emerging technologies can quickly reshape the skills employers seek.
The department continually updates its curriculum to reflect developments in the industry. Uddameri pointed to artificial intelligence as one example, noting that faculty have incorporated topics such as generative AI and chatbots into the curriculum.
“Students are getting the latest technology rather than something that’s been there for a while,” he said.
The University’s computer science programs are also noted for helping students graduate with less debt while gaining the technical and professional skills needed to enter the workforce.
That combination of affordability and academic quality is particularly important at A&M-San Antonio, where many students are first-generation college students, military-connected students, parents and other nontraditional learners.
“We tend to be very flexible without giving up the rigor,” Uddameri said.
The program’s relatively small classes also allow faculty to provide students with more individualized attention, while active student organizations and research opportunities give students ways to extend their learning beyond traditional coursework.
Those opportunities are evident in the experience of Mark Solis, who recently earned his Master of Science in Computer Science from A&M-San Antonio and now serves as an adjunct instructor in the program.
Solis said his graduate experience provided opportunities he had not expected, including serving as a teaching assistant for the Computer Science department and working as a research assistant for a faculty member.
“It was very positive,” Solis said. “I had so many wonderful opportunities.”
Those experiences helped reinforce Solis’ interest in education. Now in his first semester as an adjunct instructor, he said working with students and teaching has moved to the forefront of his career goals.
Solis hopes to eventually pursue a Ph.D. in computer science and become an assistant professor.
For Uddameri, those kinds of outcomes demonstrate the broader goal of the program: preparing students not simply for their first job, but for careers and continued learning in a constantly changing field.
“Research.com’s recognition provides another indication of our computer science programs’ growing profile,” he said. “We’re creating opportunities for students who are turning their interest in technology into careers.”