Texas is the second-largest state in the country, with about 28 million residents. While often associated with Wild West-like deserts, canyons, and red sheer rock-face, less than ten percent of the state actually resembles that John Wayne vision. (Though, yes, cowboys still abound.) In fact, the Texas landscape is diverse enough to present categorization difficulties, with 10 climatic regions, 14 soil regions, and 11 distinct ecological regions. Appropriate enough, then, that the state’s economy, demographics, and culture would be equally diverse. Nearly a fifth of the state includes foreign-born residents, and the Hispanic population is among the largest in the United States. Two-thirds of all Texans live in a metropolitan area – the largest of which are Houston, San Antonio, Dallas (sometimes coupled with Forth Worth), and Austin – and many of these cities are home to some of the prominent, productive businesses in the country.
FEATURED ONLINE COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMS
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The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science prepares the student for a broad range of computer opportunities. The curriculum includes basic coursework in computer technology and the theory of programming languages. Students focus on developing computer-based solutions involving hardware and software components and integration. Concentrations are available in Information Technology and Information Management.
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Providing a broad base of understanding of the foundational technology in any information system, NCU’s Computer Science specialization helps students understand how computers function and communicate from the inside out. This specialization dovetails very well with the larger goals of your MSTIM program. A general specialization, it was created to provide you with a foundation on a wide variety of computing topics and to prepare you for a range of technology leadership roles. On graduation, you will be able to use the general but in-depth knowledge you’ve gained to lead the innovative integration of computer technologies in any organization.
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>BS – IT: Programming and Software Development
At Kaplan University, we understand why you’re going back to school. The outcome of your education is our most important concern.Kaplan University is an accredited, leading provider of online higher education. We offer more than 180 programs in a variety of fields.
Our rigorous curriculum is designed to provide you with relevant skills to pursue your career and personal goals. Faculty members are experienced practitioners within their fields and focus on real-world, practical skills.
The state’s gross GDP swells over $1.6 billion (or about 55,000 per capita), and Texas is behind only New York and California for Fortune 500 headquarters, with 51 companies, including 6 of the top 50: ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, AT&T, Valero Energy, Marathon Oil, and Dell. For working and aspiring professionals in the computer science sector, Texas has a wealth of opportunities. Austin, nicknamed “Silicon Hills,” has a range of semiconductor design companies, tech startups, and tech behemoths: Facebook, Google, EA Games, and Apple all have major offices. To the North, Dallas houses several of the above-mentioned Fortune 500 stars. Outside of tech-specific industries, healthcare, energy, finance, agriculture, defense, and aeronautics all have major presences in Texas and offer relevant job opportunities.
Texas’s roster of public colleges and universities is a proven source of economic growth and stability, and education remains affordable relative to the rest of the country. For 2015-16, average tuition at four-year institutions was $9,566, which was just slightly higher than the national average, and represents a 3% increase year-over-year (about average) and 12% increase over a five-year period (also average). Considering the high quality of Texas public education, and that several states’ tuitions run over $15k, in-state students are in a good position. Two-year community college students have a particularly enviable price-point, with an average tuition of $2,409, about $1,500 below the national average.
Texas Tech Salaries
- Web Developer: $71,140
- Software Applications Developer: $73,267
- Computer Systems Analyst: $93,610
- Database Administrator: $84,570
- Data Scientist: $110,494
- Information Technology Manager: $109,635
The 5 Best Online CS Degree Providers: TX
While students should first and foremost make sure that a university offers the exact field of study they’re interested in pursuing, the overall quality of an online degree providing university is also important. Below we’ve surveyed all of the computer science-related degree providers in Texas and ranked them according to academic prestige and the breadth of their academic offerings. Our academic prestige metric takes into account online-centered predictors of program quality such as class size, the range of online support services, the percentage of faculty with terminal degrees in their field, and admissions profiles. Together these two metric categories help to flesh out some of the overall best online degree-granting institutions for computer science in the state. Check out our top offerings below!
Established in 1890, the University of North Texas is ranked among the best Tier 2 colleges in the country and is Carnegie R1 school. It has been named as one “America’s Best College Buys” for over twenty years in a row, and Princeton Review and Forbes have recognized UNT, as well. The school’s 25:1 student-to-faculty ratio supports a vibrant, collaborative educational community while maintaining personalized instruction. A quarter of classes have less than 20 students, an impressive number for a school of 38,000. Its 326,000 alumni can be found in a wide range of careers, and over 200,000 live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Like many schools, North Texas’s online program offerings have grown to meet the increased demand for distance education, and students interested in computer science can choose between 8 undergraduate and graduate tracks: 2 bachelor’s in Information Science and Applied Technology & Performance Improvement; 5 master’s in Library Sciences, Information Sciences, Applied Technology and Performance Improvement, Learning Technologies (with an accelerated option), and a PhD Learning Technologies. All UNT online courses combine rigorous, nationally recognized curricula with flexible delivery to accommodate students’ unique schedules, including for adult learners and working professionals. By leveraging the Blackboard learning platform, students have easy access to instructors, group discussion boards, live chatrooms, videoconferencing, and more.
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Texas Tech University in Lubbock was founded in 1923 as Texas Technological College. With a total enrollment of about 36,000, TTU has a student-to-faculty ratio of 22:1, creating a dynamic, collaborative learning environment with personalized instruction. About a third of classes consist of less than 20 students and half have have between 20 to 49. Its graduate programs are particularly well-regarded, and the Wall Street Journal has ranked Texas Tech 18th in the country for graduate desirability for job recruiters. Alumni are active at over 120 chapters, and notable graduates include Stephen Graham Jones, Jim Marrs, Scott Pelley, numerous politicians, and business executives.
Texas Tech offers 3 graduate degrees for computer science students, including 2 master’s in Software Engineering and Systems and Engineering Management, and a PhD in Systems And Engineering Management. All courses are designed for maximum flexibility, allowing students to complete course work according to their schedules, and the Blackboard learning platform supports a dynamic learning experience, with easy access to instructors, group discussion boards, live chat rooms, video conferencing, and more. TTU guarantees 24/7 tech support, and a dedicated Instructional Design team ensures that all content delivers smoothly.
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Sam Houston State University, founded in 1879, is the third oldest public college in Texas, and was the first university in the state to be classified as an R1 Research University by the Carnegie Foundation, and has been ranked highly by Forbes, Washington Monthly, and US News. With an enrollment of 20,000 and 25:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students benefit from both a vibrant learning community and small enough classes to ensure individualized instruction. (Over a quarter of classes have less than 20 students, and less than 15% have over 50.) Alumni include prominent business professionals, politicians, writers, and academics.
For computer science students, Sam Houston offers online master’s in Information Assurance and Instructional Technology and an online EdD in Instructional Technology. The MS in Information Assurance consists of 36 credits, with core classes like Operating System Security, Organizational System Security, Business Continuity Management, and Directed Management and Development Project; the last 18 credits are elective to customize course work. The MEd in Instructional Technology is 30 credits (15 core; 15 computer science), and the EdD is 60 credits, with two cores in Instructional Tech and Educational Research. (Some example courses: Technology Sustainability, Program Evaluation, Qualitative Analysis, Distance Learning.) All SMSU online courses are built to accommodate working professionals and adult learners, and students progress according to their own schedules. Student services include tech support, career services, financial aid opportunities, and more.
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Founded in 1947, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi has a total enrollment of about 11,700 and is ranked among the best Tier 2 schools by US News. The school’s 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio fosters a dynamic, collaborative educational atmosphere while still maintaining one-on-one instruction. A fifth of classes have less than 20 students, and 60% have between 20-49. For those interested, the university also excellent financial aid opportunities: 60% of full-time undergraduates receive some form of aid, and the percentage of need met is over half. Alumni include politicians, screenwriters and producers, businesspeople, and academics.
Corpus Christi offers master’s degrees in Geospatial Surveying Engineering and Instructional Design and Educational Technology. (A BS in Geographic Information Science occasionally offers individual online course availability, but can be categorized as a hybrid track, at most.) The GSE degree is a ABET-accredited and consists of 36 credits with thesis and non-theses options. The MS in Instructional Design and Ed Tech consists of 36 credits, including in: Computer Applications in Education, Strategies for Technology Integration, Instructional Design Applications, Internet Resources in Education and Training, and a practicum. All online courses are built to accommodate working professionals and are therefore highly flexible, delivering through Blackboard learning technology, which includes tech support, group discussion threads, web conferencing, chat rooms, and more.
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Established in 1895, Our Lady of the Lake University is a private school with a total enrollment of about 3,300, split between undergraduate and graduate students. Ranked among the best West region universities by US News, OLLU’s 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps to support a tight-knit educational community that combines personalized instruction with collaborative learning. Over 60% of classes have less than 20 students, and none have over 49. Founded by the Catholic Sisters of Divine Providence order, the university has a special emphasis on a compassionate, coeducational liberal arts curriculum, and lists its core values as “community, integrity, trust, and service.”
OLLU offers an online Master of Science in Information Systems and Security that consists of 30 hours, designed for working professionals looking for upper management positions like CIO, CTO, or CSO. Core courses include Data Base Management Systems, Information Systems Development, Telecommunications and Networking, and Information Systems Hardware and Software Platforms. From there, students take specialized courses like Information Assurance Planning and Management, Special Topics in Information Systems and Security, and Internet Security Architectures. Applicants should have earned at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and must submit GRE or GMAT scores. Student services include career development, academic advising, testing, transfer assistance, and more.
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Directory of Online Computer Science Degrees in Texas
University of North Texas | Denton, TX | Online CS Degrees: 8 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (940) 565-2000 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Midland College | Midland, TX | Online CS Degrees: 8 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (432) 685-4500 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Laredo Community College | Laredo, TX | Online CS Degrees: 8 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (956) 722-0521 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Angelina College | Lufkin, TX | Online CS Degrees: 8 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (936) 639-1301 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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St. Philips College | San Antonio, TX | Online CS Degrees: 5 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (210) 486-2000 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Tarrant County College District | Fort Worth, TX | Online CS Degrees: 4 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (817) 515-8223 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX | Online CS Degrees: 3 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (806) 742-2011 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES GRADUATE DEGREES
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Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, TX | Online CS Degrees: 3 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (936) 294-1111 GRADUATE DEGREES
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Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | Lubbock, TX | Online CS Degrees: 3 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (806) 743-1000 GRADUATE DEGREES
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Texas A&M University Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi, TX | Online CS Degrees: 2 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (361) 825-5700 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Dallas Baptist University | Dallas, TX | Online CS Degrees: 2 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (214) 333-7100 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Panola College | Carthage, TX | Online CS Degrees: 2 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (903) 693-2000 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Our Lady of the Lake University | San Antonio, TX | Online CS Degrees: 1 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (210) 434-6711 GRADUATE DEGREES
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University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX | Online CS Degrees: 1 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (817) 272-2011 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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University of Houston Victoria | Victoria, TX | Online CS Degrees: 1 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (877) 970-4848 GRADUATE DEGREES
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Concordia University Texas | Austin, TX | Online CS Degrees: 1 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (512) 313-3000 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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University of Texas of the Permian Basin | Odessa, TX | Online CS Degrees: 1 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (432) 552-2020 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Northwood University | Cedar Hill, TX | Online CS Degrees: 1 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (800) 622-9000 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Lamar Institute of Technology | Beaumont, TX | Online CS Degrees: 1 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (409) 880-8321 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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Howard College | Big Spring, TX | Online CS Degrees: 1 | |
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO (432) 264-5000 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
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