2025 Best Computer Software & Applications Schools in California
5
Colleges in California
1,447
Computer Software Degrees Awarded
$51,565
Avg Early-Career Salary
Computer Software & Applications is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #84 most popular degree program in the country. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 5 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Computer Software & Applications Schools in California ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,447 degrees in computer software & applications annually.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Computer Software & Applications School
Your choice of computer software & applications school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Computer Software & Applications School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Pick Your Computer Software & Applications Degree Level
When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Computer Software & Applications Schools in California list to help you make the college decision.
More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you.
Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Read more about College Factual's methodology.
Best Schools for Computer Software & Applications in California
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the computer software degree levels they offer.
Top California Schools in Computer Software
Every student who is interested in computer software & applications needs to take a look at University of Southern California. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were approximately 88 computer software & applications students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available. Those computer software & applications students who get their degree from University of Southern California earn $52,498 more than the standard computer software student.
More information about a degree in computer software & applications from University of Southern California
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
3rd
Most Popular In CA
62
Computer Software Degrees Awarded
University of California - Irvine is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in computer software & applications. UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the city of Irvine. A Best Colleges rank of #73 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Irvine is a great university overall.
There were roughly 62 computer software & applications students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in computer software & applications from University of California - Irvine
Masters
Degree Type
MS in Information Technology - Software Application Development
Program Name
Learn to manage the development process for a software program with this specialized online master's from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in MS in Information Technology - Software Application Development from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
4th
Most Popular In CA
40
Computer Software Degrees Awarded
It is difficult to beat University of California - Santa Cruz if you want to pursue a degree in computer software & applications. UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the city of Santa Cruz. This university ranks 13th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were roughly 40 computer software & applications students who graduated with this degree at UC Santa Cruz in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in computer software & applications from University of California - Santa Cruz
Academy of Art University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in computer software & applications. Located in the large city of San Francisco, Academy of Art University is a private for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 47th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 351 computer software & applications students who graduated with this degree at Academy of Art University in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the computer software program earn an average of $46,928 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in computer software & applications from Academy of Art University
Cogswell is a fairly small private for-profit college located in the large city of San Jose.
There were about 17 computer software & applications students who graduated with this degree at Cogswell in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, computer software degree recipients typically make about $37,693 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in computer software & applications from Cogswell College
