Top 5 online computer science master’s degree programs

The University of Illinois had the top-ranked program this year.

The unveiling of Georgia Tech’s massive open online course (MOOC)-based computer science master’s degree, offered for about one-sixth the cost of the university’s traditional computer science master’s program, reflects the economic demand for computer-related jobs, Georgia Tech officials and technologists said.

A recent study from the job search website CareerCast pegged software engineer as the top job of 2012, based on criteria including salary, hiring outlook, stress levels, and work environment. Seven computer-related jobs made the CareerCast top jobs of 2012.

No institution will compete with Georgia Tech’s $7,000 Udacity- based computer science program — not yet, anyway — but many universities have seen their web-based comp-sci courses gain prestige over the past few years. BestComputerScienceDegrees.com compiled a list of the country’s top online computer science master’s degree programs, as seen below, along with varying tuition costs from one school to the next.…Read More