Alumni | Arts and Sciences | NewsMay 16, 2025

UAFS Computer Science on Par with Nation

Written By: Ian Silvester

University of Arkansas – Fort Smith students are shaping the future, right along with the rest of the nation.

Universities across the nation are witnessing an upward trend of students enrolling in one of the fastest-growing majors: Computer science. UAFS is no different.

Since the fall of 2021, the number of students enrolled in the computer science major at UAFS has nearly doubled, making it now the fourth most popular major at UAFS. Nationally, enrollment has grown by more than 108,000 students, making computer science the fastest-growing top-20 major at four-year colleges, according to the Wall Street Journal.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s recently released Undergraduate Degree Earners Report, the number of computer science graduates nationwide has also surged since 2021.

So, why is there a steady increase in the number of enrolled students and graduates? The answer lies in the rapid evolution of technology, driving the need for employees in the workplace. From business to government jobs, there is something in every career field related to computer science.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for jobs related to computer science to grow faster than the average of all other occupations between 2023 and 2033. Computer science also boasts an average annual salary of $105,990 as of May 2024, making it an attractive career option for many students.

At UAFS, recent computer science graduates, such as Josue Martinez, left the university with a job in hand. Martinez learned as a student about concepts such as artificial intelligence, software development, data science, machine learning, and user experience/UX testing. He was offered a job before graduation with ABB, where he will work as a software developer.

Martinez and two other graduating students put their classroom instruction to practical use in April. The trio developed an autonomous vehicle that used AI and computer vision to identify inventory and move it to desired locations within a warehouse simulation. The project’s goal was to improve efficiency and safety in the industry.

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