Sneak Preview: 2015 Taulbee Report Details

The 2015 Taulbee Report will be published in the May 2016 issue of CRN. As we have done for the past several years, we are providing a preview of the degree and enrollment numbers for bachelor’s and doctoral level programs in the departments responding to the survey.

The total number of Ph.D.s awarded declined by 8.2 percent, from 1,940 from the departments responding in 2014 to 1,780 from the departments responding in 2015. Since the set of departments reporting from one year to the next varies, for understanding enrollment trends it is of interest to focus on the set of departments that reported in both years.

When considering only departments that reported both years, the overall decline in doctoral production was slightly more than 4 percent. When only U.S. CS departments are considered, however, doctoral production was steady among departments that reported both years. Overall doctoral enrollment among all departments reporting both years rose a little above 2 percent, while the number of new doctoral students declined by a similar percentage at these departments. At U.S. CS departments reporting both years, there was little change in either the number of new students or the total doctoral enrollment.

At the bachelor’s level, there continues to be rampant growth. Bachelor’s degree production at departments reporting both years increased more than 20 percent, and increased more than 15 percent when only U.S. CS departments are considered. Overall bachelor’s enrollment and the number of new bachelor’s students at departments reporting both years also increased from 15-20 percent; this was true whether all departments are considered or whether only U.S. CS departments are considered.

Watch the May 2016 CRN for a more complete analysis of the Taulbee data.