New study shows computer science enrollment in high schools grew from 10% to 15% over six years, but gender gaps are widening.
By Anna Lasek, Communications Assistant at Rutgers CESP
High school courses are often students’ first formal introduction to the field of computer science (CS), shaping their understanding of the discipline and how (if at all) they they see themselves in it. In our technologically evolving world, CS education helps us nuture tomorrow's problem-solvers, creators, and professionals across every discpline. Foundational CS courses introduce students to computing, build critical thinking and analytical skills, and open doors to a wide range of careers. But how many students are actually taking CS courses? And who’s being left out?
A new study from the Rutgers University Center for Effective School Practices analyzes six years of CS enrollment data to provide valuable insights. You can view the full report available freely online here.
What the Data Show: Participation Trends from 2018 to 2024
Using de-identified course enrollment data from nearly 16,000 students acrosss seven suburban, public high schools, the study examines who is taking CS classes - and who isn't. It distinguishes between foundational courses (like introductory programming or robotics) and advanced courses (such as AP courses and higher-level electives), and breaks down participation by sex and race. Key findings include:
Participation Is Growing—But Slowly and Unevenly Overall CS course enrollment grew from 10% in 2018–2019 to 15% in 2022–2023, before dropping slightly to 13% in 2023–2024. While the increase is encouraging, the recent decline signals a need for attention: Is this a temporary dip, or an early warning sign?
Gender Disparities Are Deepening One of the clearest findings: girls continue to be underrepresented in CS. Female participation dropped over time and remained steady around 7% by 2023–2024, exactly where it was six years prior. Meanwhile, over the same period of time, male participation rose from 13% to 18%. This growing gender gap highlights an urgent need to rethink how CS is marketed, delivered, and supported to female learners.
Racial Participation Patterns Are Complex
Asian students consistently had the highest CS enrollment, peaking at 24% in 2022–2023. Hispanic students showed encouraging growth, briefly surpassing their Black and White peers, but did not sustain those higher rates. Participation among Black and White students remained relatively stable over the six years, around 10–12%. These trends call for deeper research into how school demographics, cultural factors, and local policies influence CS access and interest.
Foundational Courses Drive Overall Trends
Most CS participation comes from foundational courses, which are typically more accessible and may serve as entry points for students new to computing. From 2021–2022 onward, male and female participation in these courses diverged sharply, with the gender gap reaching its widest point in 2022–2023 (16% of males vs. 7% of females enrolled).
Participation in Advanced Courses Remains Low—and Skews Male
Advanced CS courses have much lower enrollment across the board, in part due to pre-requisite structures, as many require first taking a foundational course. In 2020–2021, only around 5% of high school students enrolled in an advanced CS course, and the male participation rate was more than 3 times higher than that of female students. Moreso than foundational courses, access to advanced CS courses varies across schools, and many students may never get the opportunity to explore more specialized CS topics. This bottleneck in the CS pipeline deserves close attention from administrators and policymakers.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Although most high schools offer foundational computer science courses (86% in the 2022-2023 school year), taking a CS course is not a graduation requirement. Thus, access isn’t enough and doesn't automatically imply participation, especially among students in sociodemographic groups historically underrepresented in CS. Results confirm what research consistently shows: engagement and equity remain real challenges within CS education. Research also offers us some strategies for what we can do about it, such as:
Engage underrepresented students, particularly girls and students of color, by connecting CS to their interests and lived experiences.
Develop inclusive curricula that emphasize collaboration, creativity, and real-world problem-solving.
Invest in teacher training and support systems that make CS welcoming and accessible to all students.
Monitor and evaluate course offerings, prerequisites, and student outcomes to ensure equitable access to both foundational and advanced pathways.
CS education must evolve to keep pace of the diverse educational landscape. This study offers a valuable lens into where we are—and where we need to go. The takeaway is clear: if we want a future where all students can participate in CS (and we do!), we must take effective action in and out of the classroom.