Computer Science vs Computer Engineering: Know the Difference

STEM courses are quite popular in times of technological advancements, and getting stuck on Computer Science vs Computer Engineering is a common problem. Both Computer Science and Computer Engineering courses are technical courses offered around the globe to mostly Science background students.

Computer Science and Computer Engineering are courses designed on similar lines but have a completely different approach in terms of skills learnt at the end. One deals with computers and the latter deals with computer hardware and testing systems. This article aims to give applicants more clarity on what to choose - Computer Science or Computer Engineering?

What is Computer Science?

Computer Science is a branch of study which deals with the study of technology with a strong focus on building secure software systems. The main aim of pursuing a Computer Science course is to be efficient in designing complex software-related systems. This course is basically a modernised version of study of the computers. 

Check out: MS in Computer Science Abroad

Top Computer Science Universities Globally 2023

Some of the globally recognised universities that offer prestigious computer science courses at different levels of study are as follows:

Top Universities Offering Computer Science	QS World University (Computer Science & Information Systems - Subject) Rankings 2023	THE WUR 2023 by Subject: Computer Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, United States	#1	#2
Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, United States	#2	#5
Stanford University Stanford, United States	#3	#3
University of California, Berkeley (UCB) Berkeley, United States	#4	#8
University of Oxford Oxford, UK	#5	#1
National University of Singapore (NUS) Singapore, Singapore	#6	#7
University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK	#7	#6
Harvard University Cambridge, United States	#8	#9
ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland	#9	#4
EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland	#10	#22

What is Computer Engineering?

Computer Engineering abroad is another popular course option which basically educates students on the lines of designing computer hardware and connecting it for use. Also, those with this degree will have to experiment with the testing of the hardware created and ensure that the software created for the hardware works smoothly for it. 

Best Computer Engineering Programs in the World

US News ranks some of the world’s most reputed universities for Computer Engineering courses for the year 2023 and they are as follows:

Top Colleges for Computer Engineering	US News & World Report - Best Computer Engineering Programs Rankings 2023
MIT	#1
Stanford University	#2
UCB	#2
Carnegie Mellon University	#4
Georgia Institute of Technology	#5
University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign	#5
University of Michigan	#7
Cornell University	#8
University of Texas, Austin	#8
Princeton University	#10

What is the difference between Computer Science and Computer Engineering?

Though both Computer Science and Computer Engineering courses are on similar lines of science and technology, yet they are divided sharply by the nature of the course offering. The following table aims to throw more light on the difference between Computer Science and Computer Engineering courses that are globally offered to students: 

Factors for Differentiation	Computer Science	Computer Engineering
Type of Course	Both a course and a major	Both a course and a major
Discipline	Science	Engineering
Degree Types	UG/PG/Doctoral	UG/PG/Doctoral
Average Tuition Fees for one year	UG: USD USD 60,000 PG: USD 35,000	UG: USD 70,000 PG: USD 25,000
Top Countries	USA, UK, Canada & Australia	USA, Australia, Canada & Germany
Areas of Study	Programming Game design Web design Robotics Data analysis  Algorithmics	Software development Information system design Java, JavaScript, and SQL understanding Mathematical background in linear algebra and stats Technical writing skills
Focuses on	Scientific problem-solving, data structures plus algorithms, and database designing.	Microelectronics, calculus-based physics, and digital signal processing.
Specialisations	Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Software Engineering Computer Networks Coding	Networking  Hardware Systems Security Software Development Programming

Admission requirements may be similar for both Computer Science and Computer Engineering, for example, GRE will be a common requirement for admission to both these courses. Thus, admission requirements may vary per university per country. 

Computer Science vs Computer Engineering Salary

The salaries of computer engineering graduates are higher in comparison to those pursuing a computer science course. Prospective applicants can check out the following section to understand in detail the jobs and salaries available. 

Top Jobs & Salaries after Computer Science

Those with a computer science degree from anywhere in the globe can earn an average of USD 131,490 per year. There are various job roles that are available only for those with a computer science degree. Check out the following in-demand job roles which can be taken up by computer science graduates along with the average salaries:

• Database Administrator: USD 130,980
• Data Scientist: USD 102,988
• Systems Analyst: USD 126,780
• Software Developer: USD 110,140
• Software Quality Assurance Manager: USD 139,395
• Web Developer: USD 113,762
• Computer Programmer: USD 122,600
• AI Research Scientist: USD 150,000

Top Jobs & Salaries after Computer Engineering

On an average as per the US Bureau of Labor Stats, those with a degree in Computer Engineering can earn between USD 119,560 - USD 128,170. The following job roles can be taken up after pursuing a computer engineering degree which are very highly paid across the globe:

• Computer Architect: USD 147,078
• Circuit Designer: USD 139,000
• Network Architect: USD 151,960
• Systems Programmer: USD 138,000
• Systems Architect: USD 177,637
• Hardware Engineer: USD 135,916
• Forensic Computer Analyst: USD 132,000 
• Computer Research Scientist: USD 131,490

As mentioned above, the applicants who are intrigued by these job roles can plan out their education and the degrees they wish to pursue in the near future. Please note, that the salaries are dynamic and are subject to change at any given point of time. 

Which is Better Computer Science or Computer Engineering?

There is no definite answer to the question - which requires a yes or no for which is better in terms of computer science or computer engineering. Those who have an inclination towards software designing and security-related areas of computers can go for a computer science course.

But those who enjoy developing hardware and can test the software on the hardware can go for a computer engineering course. Those who are interested in job roles like testing and analysing computer systems can also pursue this course.

In terms of salaries, we can say that computer engineering is a better option than computer science. Applicants looking for high-paying jobs and stuck between these two options can choose computer engineering and go for the above-mentioned job roles. Also, there is a forecast of 5% increase in job roles in these two technical areas hence, applicants can go for any of these across a well-paid job role. 

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