Best Universities for Computer Science in the UK 2027
Durham University tops our 2027 computer science ranking with 234 points, scoring consistently across all eight metrics with graduate earnings of £41,500 — the second-highest in the field. Swansea University comes second with 223 points and University of Worcester third with 222 points. We ranked 102 UK universities across eight metrics: graduate earnings, teaching quality, student satisfaction, academic support, safety, cost of living, social life and sustainability.
Computer science is the most widely studied technology degree in the UK, with 102 universities in this ranking. Graduate earnings range from £23,000 (Glyndwr) to £55,000 (Cambridge). University of St Andrews ranks 13th but produces the joint-highest graduate earnings at £50,000. University of Cambridge ranks 26th with the highest graduate earnings of all at £55,000. University of Winchester ranks 58th despite high student satisfaction (82%) because its academic support score of 54% and teaching quality of 53% are the lowest in the entire field. Buckinghamshire New University (60th) achieves the highest teaching quality in the ranking at 98%.
For how these universities compare across all subjects, see the Unifresher best universities overall ranking and our best universities for employability.
Computer Science University Rankings 2027
| # | University | Grad Earnings | Satisfaction | Teaching Quality | Academic Support | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham University Durham |
£41,500 | 78% | 87% | 86% | 234 |
| 2 | Swansea University Swansea |
£30,000 | 79% | 82% | 86% | 223 |
| 3 | University of Worcester Worcester |
£30,000 | 79% | 92% | 80% | 222 |
| 4 | Northumbria University, Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne |
£27,500 | 74% | 87% | 93% | 218 |
| 5 | University of Bristol Bristol |
£38,000 | 73% | 92% | 91% | 217 |
| 6 | University of Exeter Exeter |
£39,000 | 79% | 86% | 77% | 215 |
| 7 | York St John University York |
£26,000 | 80% | 83% | 87% | 209 |
| 8 | University of South Wales Pontypridd |
£25,000 | 72% | 97% | 97% | 206 |
| 9 | Bangor University Bangor |
£25,500 | 76% | 78% | 84% | 203 |
| 10 | Edge Hill University Ormskirk |
£30,000 | 83% | 71% | 88% | 199 |
| 10 | University of East Anglia (UEA) Norwich |
£30,000 | 79% | 82% | 95% | 199 |
| 11 | Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool |
£29,500 | 72% | 81% | 96% | 198 |
| 12 | Cardiff Metropolitan University Cardiff |
£24,500 | 75% | 83% | 78% | 195 |
| 13 | University of St Andrews St Andrews |
£50,000 | 84% | 93% | 94% | 193 |
| 14 | Royal Holloway, University of London Egham |
£35,000 | 74% | 83% | 91% | 192 |
| 15 | University of the West of England, Bristol Bristol |
£30,000 | 74% | 76% | 82% | 190 |
| 16 | University of Reading Reading |
£28,000 | 74% | 74% | 84% | 188 |
| 16 | Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester |
£27,000 | 73% | 84% | 85% | 188 |
| 16 | Robert Gordon University Aberdeen |
£26,000 | 77% | 89% | 97% | 188 |
| 17 | University of Lincoln Lincoln |
£28,000 | 78% | 73% | 82% | 186 |
| 18 | Bournemouth University Bournemouth |
£28,000 | 71% | 73% | 83% | 183 |
| 18 | Edinburgh Napier University Edinburgh |
£25,500 | 72% | 84% | 91% | 183 |
| 18 | University of Sunderland Sunderland |
£26,000 | 74% | 86% | 97% | 183 |
| 19 | University of Plymouth Plymouth |
£30,000 | 75% | 72% | 80% | 182 |
| 20 | University of Bath Bath |
£39,000 | 80% | 77% | 88% | 178 |
| 20 | University of Leeds Leeds |
£37,000 | 74% | 79% | 86% | 178 |
| 20 | Nottingham Trent University Nottingham |
£29,000 | 76% | 83% | 83% | 178 |
| 21 | Oxford Brookes University Oxford |
£28,000 | 74% | 82% | 91% | 177 |
| 22 | University of Essex Colchester |
£30,000 | 74% | 81% | 84% | 176 |
| 23 | Cardiff University Cardiff |
£30,000 | 71% | 72% | 81% | 174 |
| 23 | University of West London London |
£27,000 | 72% | 85% | 88% | 174 |
| 24 | University of Liverpool Liverpool |
£32,000 | 71% | 77% | 84% | 173 |
| 24 | University of Kent Canterbury |
£32,000 | 72% | 79% | 87% | 173 |
| 25 | De Montfort University Leicester |
£26,000 | 70% | 74% | 81% | 172 |
| 25 | University of Gloucestershire Cheltenham / Gloucester |
£27,000 | 76% | 77% | 88% | 172 |
| 25 | University of Manchester Manchester |
£40,000 | 70% | 82% | 81% | 172 |
| 25 | Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge |
£26,500 | 70% | 82% | 90% | 172 |
| 26 | University of Cambridge Cambridge |
£55,000 | 76% | 94% | 95% | 171 |
| 27 | University of York York |
£35,000 | 77% | 74% | 82% | 170 |
| 27 | Lancaster University Lancaster |
£33,500 | 82% | 81% | 89% | 170 |
| 27 | University of Bedfordshire Luton |
£26,000 | 68% | 85% | 90% | 170 |
| 28 | University of the Arts London London |
£26,500 | 81% | 80% | 86% | 168 |
| 28 | University for the Creative Arts Canterbury / Epsom / Farnham / Rochester |
£26,000 | 82% | 88% | 85% | 168 |
| 29 | University of Warwick Coventry |
£40,000 | 74% | 85% | 87% | 167 |
| 30 | Coventry University Coventry |
£32,000 | 72% | 82% | 88% | 166 |
| 31 | Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield |
£29,000 | 73% | 82% | 82% | 165 |
| 32 | Keele University Newcastle-under-Lyme |
£30,000 | 81% | 78% | 87% | 164 |
| 33 | Glyndwr University, Wrexham Wrexham |
£23,000 | 74% | 60% | 70% | 162 |
| 33 | UCL (University College London) London |
£45,000 | 68% | 80% | 86% | 162 |
| 34 | University of Chester Chester |
£28,000 | 78% | 87% | 95% | 161 |
| 35 | Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne |
£30,000 | 75% | 70% | 82% | 159 |
| 36 | University of Salford Salford |
£27,000 | 73% | 74% | 74% | 158 |
| 36 | Kingston University Kingston upon Thames |
£31,000 | 71% | 83% | 86% | 158 |
| 37 | Falmouth University Falmouth |
£26,500 | 82% | 74% | 80% | 157 |
| 38 | Canterbury Christ Church University Canterbury |
£26,000 | 73% | 69% | 71% | 155 |
| 39 | University of Sheffield Sheffield |
£32,000 | 75% | 82% | 82% | 154 |
| 40 | King's College London London |
£35,000 | 67% | 75% | 83% | 153 |
| 41 | Leeds Beckett University Leeds |
£27,000 | 70% | 68% | 86% | 152 |
| 41 | Norwich University of the Arts Norwich |
£24,000 | 85% | 82% | 92% | 152 |
| 42 | University of Brighton Brighton |
£28,000 | 72% | 78% | 84% | 151 |
| 42 | University of Glasgow Glasgow |
£38,000 | 75% | 85% | 86% | 151 |
| 43 | University of Leicester Leicester |
£34,000 | 73% | 81% | 90% | 150 |
| 44 | University of Surrey Guildford |
£31,000 | 78% | 77% | 88% | 149 |
| 44 | University of Dundee Dundee |
£36,000 | 75% | 97% | 100% | 149 |
| 45 | Birmingham City University Birmingham |
£29,000 | 69% | 75% | 76% | 147 |
| 46 | University of Birmingham Birmingham |
£34,000 | 72% | 94% | 93% | 146 |
| 47 | University of Greenwich London |
£32,000 | 69% | 70% | 73% | 145 |
| 47 | University of Sussex Brighton and Hove |
£30,000 | 77% | 81% | 88% | 145 |
| 48 | University of Hertfordshire Hertfordshire |
£27,000 | 71% | 74% | 74% | 144 |
| 49 | Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh |
£33,000 | 75% | 81% | 91% | 143 |
| 50 | University of Bradford Bradford |
£29,000 | 71% | 82% | 79% | 142 |
| 51 | Queen Mary University of London London |
£33,500 | 69% | 86% | 86% | 141 |
| 52 | University of Edinburgh Edinburgh |
£35,000 | 74% | 77% | 73% | 138 |
| 53 | Brunel University London Uxbridge |
£30,000 | 68% | 87% | 84% | 136 |
| 53 | University of Suffolk Ipswich |
£27,000 | 76% | 93% | 90% | 136 |
| 54 | University of Derby Derby |
£30,000 | 74% | 73% | 72% | 135 |
| 54 | University of East London London |
£27,000 | 68% | 95% | 91% | 135 |
| 55 | University of Portsmouth Portsmouth |
£30,000 | 77% | 82% | 90% | 131 |
| 56 | University of Southampton Southampton |
£36,000 | 76% | 77% | 87% | 130 |
| 57 | Liverpool Hope University Liverpool |
£26,000 | 80% | 83% | 94% | 129 |
| 57 | Abertay University Dundee |
£30,000 | 72% | 88% | 100% | 129 |
| 58 | University of Winchester Winchester |
£27,000 | 82% | 53% | 54% | 126 |
| 58 | University of Nottingham Nottingham |
£35,000 | 74% | 78% | 76% | 126 |
| 59 | University of Strathclyde Glasgow |
£33,000 | 75% | 79% | 82% | 124 |
| 59 | University of the West of Scotland Glasgow |
£29,000 | 73% | 91% | 84% | 124 |
| 60 | Buckinghamshire New University High Wycombe |
£25,000 | 70% | 98% | 83% | 123 |
| 61 | University of Huddersfield Huddersfield |
£31,000 | 74% | 67% | 72% | 122 |
| 62 | Solent University Southampton |
£27,000 | 71% | 84% | 88% | 117 |
| 62 | Aston University Birmingham |
£27,500 | 75% | 87% | 87% | 117 |
| 63 | Staffordshire University Stoke-on-Trent |
£25,000 | 72% | 82% | 85% | 112 |
| 63 | Middlesex University Middlesex |
£25,500 | 69% | 84% | 90% | 112 |
| 64 | University of Westminster London |
£27,000 | 68% | 81% | 84% | 110 |
| 65 | University of Hull Hull |
£31,000 | 76% | 82% | 92% | 106 |
| 66 | University of Northampton Northampton |
£35,000 | 75% | 76% | 80% | 104 |
| 67 | Teesside University Middlesbrough |
£27,000 | 78% | 83% | 84% | 101 |
| 68 | University of Central Lancashire Preston |
£25,000 | 71% | 71% | 76% | 100 |
| 69 | University of Stirling Stirling |
£30,000 | 78% | 66% | 84% | 99 |
| 70 | London South Bank University London |
£30,000 | 68% | 90% | 88% | 97 |
| 71 | City St George's, University of London London |
£33,500 | 67% | 72% | 73% | 84 |
| 72 | Goldsmiths, University of London London |
£30,000 | 64% | 81% | 78% | 82 |
| 73 | University of Wolverhampton Wolverhampton |
£25,000 | 71% | 83% | 84% | 82 |
| 74 | London Metropolitan University London |
£29,000 | 66% | 67% | 69% | 56 |
What the ranking tells you about studying computer science
Computer science is the most competitive technology degree for graduate employment in the UK. With 102 universities offering it, quality varies enormously — in teaching, laboratory and project infrastructure, industry placement depth and graduate outcomes. This ranking scores all 102 on eight metrics that reflect the complete student experience, not just research output or entry tariff. The results are counterintuitive in places. Cambridge ranks 26th. UCL ranks joint 33rd. University of South Wales (8th) achieves 97% on both teaching quality and academic support. Buckinghamshire New University (60th) achieves 98% teaching quality — the highest in the entire field.
Cambridge at 26th and UCL at 33rd: the cost of living effect
University of Cambridge produces the highest-earning computer science graduates in this dataset at £55,000 — £5,000 above University of St Andrews (£50,000, 13th) and £13,500 above UCL (£41,500, in the field average for London). Cambridge ranks 26th overall because its cost of living index (75 — expensive) and sustainability score (44.7 — low) reduce its total. Its course delivery metrics are strong: 94% teaching quality, 95% academic support. UCL (33rd, £45,000 graduate earnings) and St Andrews (13th, £50,000) face similar dynamics. These institutions produce genuinely exceptional graduate outcomes — but this ranking is measuring the complete student experience, not just the career trajectory on exit.
Winchester at 58th: the most important data point in the ranking
University of Winchester ranks 58th with 126 points. It has 82% student satisfaction — one of the highest in the field. But it achieves 53% teaching quality and 54% academic support — the lowest scores in the entire ranking on both metrics. The combination of high student happiness and very low course delivery scores is unusual and worth examining directly before applying. Students may be satisfied with Winchester as a place to live and study generally, but the computer science-specific teaching and support metrics sit at the bottom of 102 institutions. For a technical degree where quality of instruction and project supervision are fundamental to your development, those figures are the most relevant data this ranking provides.
University of South Wales (8th) and Dundee (44th): the 100% achievers. University of South Wales achieves 97% on both teaching quality and academic support — the joint-highest in the top 10. University of Dundee achieves 100% academic support and 97% teaching quality at 44th overall, with graduate earnings of £36,000 (above the field median) and strong student satisfaction. Both are universities that rarely appear on computer science applicant shortlists. Both have stronger course delivery metrics than Cambridge, UCL, Edinburgh and most Russell Group departments in this ranking. For students who prioritise quality of teaching over institutional brand, both deserve serious consideration.
The earnings picture in computer science
The spread from £23,000 (Glyndwr) to £55,000 (Cambridge) is the widest absolute earnings gap of any subject in our dataset for a non-specialist degree. This reflects the enormous variation in graduate pathways — from software developer roles in regional businesses at the lower end to graduate schemes at FAANG companies, investment banks and tech startups at the top. The type of company you target, the city you work in and the specialisms you develop during your degree (machine learning, cybersecurity, software engineering, data science) will influence your starting salary far more than which of the 102 universities in this ranking you attended. The six-month salary snapshot captures where graduates land immediately after finishing — not where they will be in three years.
For a broader view of how these universities compare across all subjects, see the Unifresher overall best universities ranking. For graduate employment data, see the employability ranking.
