Impact of an Illinois Computing and Data Science Degree
Computing and Data Science: The Foundation of Modern Life
Computing underpins just about every aspect of modern life. Art, science, business, medicine, and engineering benefit from the computational power, modeling, and thinking found in computer science. Our creative and driven graduates have significantly contributed to the computing field and society.
Those benefits are why computer scientists are in high demand. The U.S. Department of Labor forecasts "much faster than average" job growth for computer and information technology occupations through 2029. They're also highly paid, with a median wage of $88,240.
With exclusive events like After Hours, Speaker Series, technology talks, and corporate days, our school's students interact with many companies, from start-ups to household names like Google and Facebook.
A Tradition of Excellence
From the ILLIAC to Blue Waters, OpenMP to MPI, Mosaic to YouTube, and the first vectorizing compilers to LLVM, Illinois Computing and Data Science faculty, students, and alumni have long been at the forefront of excellence in computing research and education. They’ve launched entirely new industries, generated billions of dollars in commerce, created jobs, and revolutionized how people communicate, shop, conduct business, and are entertained.
Companies founded or led by Illinois graduates are among the biggest names in the high-tech arena, including C3.ai, Malwarebytes, Match.com, Microsoft, Netscape, Optimizely, PayPal, YouTube, and Yelp.
Outstanding Faculty & Research Opportunities
Our dynamic research culture, with over a hundred dedicated faculty members, has over ten unique research areas. At the highly ranked Grainger College of Engineering, students can find a course or an expert on almost any topic in the discipline and opportunities for interdisciplinary studies or collaborations.
Vibrant Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Entrepreneurship is not just about startups. It is a way of thinking and an approach to solving problems—a catalyst for inspiring the next generation of innovators. This mindset is an integral part of our culture, fully integrated across the curriculum, and is supported in and out of the classroom. That includes resources like the Technology Entrepreneur Center and Research Park, which provide training, support, and experience to help students and faculty become successful entrepreneurs.
Extraordinary Quality of Life
Conveniently centered between Chicago, Indianapolis, and St. Louis, the University of Illinois provides an entertainment and cultural hub on par with the country's leading cities. Our campus community is home to Big 10 Division I sports, marquee theatrical and musical performances, and fantastic health and recreational facilities. Ranked by Business Insider as one of the best small cities for educated millennials, the cost of living in Champaign-Urbana is 60-178% less than in cities like Berkeley, Palo Alto, and Boston, where peer institutions are located. Learn about Champaign-Urbana's micro-urban community.
On campus, more than 1,000 student groups provide a range of activities for social interaction, professional development, mentorship, charity, and fun. HackIllinois, Reflections | Projections, and ChicTech are a few exciting projects and events run by our students, where you can meet interesting people and find your passion.
Pursue infinite possibilities with Grainger Engineering