Students choosing between computer science and computer engineering ask the same question every term: how different are these degrees, really? Course catalogs vary from school to school, but one difference is fixed and public. ABET reviews the two degrees under different commissions and different criteria, and the 2026-27 criteria spell out what each must contain.

Two commissions

A computer science program is reviewed by ABET's Computing Accreditation Commission against the criteria for computing programs, with program criteria for computer science and similarly named programs whose lead society is CSAB.

A computer engineering program is reviewed by the Engineering Accreditation Commission against the criteria for engineering programs, under the program criteria for electrical, computer, communications, telecommunications and similarly named engineering programs. IEEE is the lead society for those criteria, with CSAB cooperating for computer engineering.

The commission is printed beside every program in ABET's Accredited Program Search, so a student can see at a glance which kind of review a degree went through.

What a computer science degree must contain

Under the 2026-27 computing criteria, an accredited bachelor's program in computer science needs:

  • At least 40 semester credit hours of computer science, with substantial coverage of algorithms and complexity, computer science theory, programming languages and software development, deep study of at least one general-purpose language, and exposure to computer architecture, information management, networking, operating systems, and parallel and distributed computing.
  • At least 15 semester credit hours of mathematics and statistics, including discrete mathematics, probability and statistics, at a level of rigor at least equal to introductory calculus.
  • Science coursework that develops and applies the scientific method in an area outside computing.
  • A major project that integrates the program's content.

Graduates must show the five general computing outcomes (analyzing complex problems, designing and evaluating computing solutions, communicating, acting responsibly as professionals and working on teams) plus a sixth for computer science: applying theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.

What a computer engineering degree must contain

Under the 2026-27 engineering criteria, every accredited engineering bachelor's program needs at least 30 semester credit hours of college-level mathematics and basic sciences with experimental work, at least 45 semester credit hours of engineering and computer science topics and engineering design, a broad education component, and a culminating major design experience that uses engineering standards and multiple constraints.

On top of that, the program criteria for computer engineering require probability and statistics, differential and integral calculus, a biological, chemical or physical science, discrete mathematics, and the engineering and computing topics needed to analyze and design complex devices, software and systems that combine hardware and software.

What the difference means in practice

The criteria point to the real split. Computer science is built around computation itself: theory, algorithms, software and the systems that run it. Computer engineering is an engineering degree that treats software and hardware together, with the calculus, science and design sequence every engineering program carries. A computer engineering student will spend more time on circuits and embedded systems; a computer science student will spend more on theory and the breadth of software.

How to check a program

Look up the school in ABET's Accredited Program Search and confirm the exact degree name and its commission. A department can house both degrees, and only the ones listed are accredited.

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