Alabama Community Colleges
Computer Science Programs
Computer science and IT pathways at community colleges in this state. Programming, networking, cybersecurity, and transfer-track CS courses.
17 colleges · 459 sections · 84 unique courses · Fall 2026
Alabama community colleges offer two distinct CS pathways: an associate of applied science (AAS) for students aiming directly at help-desk, network admin, or junior developer roles, and a transfer-track AS that articulates to a bachelor's in computer science at a four-year school. The 459 sections this term across 17 ACCS institutions cover programming (Python, Java, JavaScript), data structures, networking, cybersecurity, and intro computer science theory.
Two-year CC programs aren't a shortcut to a software engineering career — most SWE roles still require a bachelor's — but the IT-support, sysadmin, and cybersecurity-tech career paths absolutely start here. For students who want to be a software developer, the transfer-track AS lets you complete two years at community-college tuition before continuing to a CS bachelor's, with credit articulation in place at most Alabama four-year programs.
Earnings & outcomes for Computer Science graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 1101 — Computer and Information Sciences, General. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Computer Science
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John C Calhoun State Community College | 86 | 23 | 47 | 465 | — |
| Coastal Alabama Community College | 48 | 16 | 31 | 15 | — |
| H Councill Trenholm State Community College | 37 | 27 | 12 | 43 | — |
| Jefferson State Community College | 36 | 17 | 32 | 110 | $54,123 |
| George C Wallace Community College-Dothan | 33 | 15 | 19 | 41 | — |
| Lawson State Community College | 32 | 16 | 14 | 23 | — |
| Central Alabama Community College | 27 | 15 | 23 | 28 | — |
| J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College | 26 | 17 | 8 | 11 | — |
| Gadsden State Community College | 24 | 12 | 16 | 149 | — |
| Shelton State Community College | 24 | 16 | 12 | 13 | — |
| Bishop State Community College | 21 | 13 | 11 | 15 | — |
| Enterprise State Community College | 21 | 14 | 19 | 12 | — |
| Northwest Shoals Community College | 14 | 12 | 6 | 70 | — |
| Snead State Community College | 12 | 10 | 10 | 73 | — |
| Southern Union State Community College | 10 | 7 | 4 | 8 | — |
| Bevill State Community College | 4 | 2 | 1 | 80 | — |
| Reid State Technical College | 4 | 4 | — | — | — |
Computer Science Availability Snapshot
How computer science sections are being offered across 17 colleges in Alabama this term (459 sections total).
Delivery format
- online265 (58%)
- in person162 (35%)
- hybrid32 (7%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)110
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)57
- Evening (5 PM and after)26
- Asynchronous / TBA266
Start dates
Sections begin on 13 distinct dates. 38 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 96 distinct instructors across 17 colleges.
Common Computer Science courses
- CIS 146COMPUTER APPLICATIONS(163 sections)
- CIS 134IT FUNDAMENTALS(16 sections)
- CIS 149INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS(16 sections)
- CIS 202Python Programming(16 sections)
- CIS 150Introduction to Computer Logic and Programming(12 sections)
- CIS 130INTRO TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS(10 sections)
- CIS 251C++ PROGRAMMING(9 sections)
- CIS 268SOFTWARE SUPPORT(9 sections)
- CIS 270CISCO CCNA I(9 sections)
- CIS 171FUNDAMENTALS OF UNIX/LINUX I(8 sections)
- CIS 199NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS(8 sections)
- CIS 207Introduction to Web Development(8 sections)
Career outlook for Computer Science graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare Alabama’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Alabama's typical pay is about 16% below the typical state — common for lower cost-of-living states, but worth weighing against tuition savings.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I become a software engineer with an associate degree?
- Possible but uncommon. Most software engineering roles require a bachelor's in computer science or equivalent experience. The realistic CC-grad direct path is IT support / help desk → junior systems administrator → systems engineer, often with industry certifications (CompTIA Network+, Security+, AWS) earned alongside the degree.
- Does community college CS credit transfer to a CS bachelor's?
- Yes, if you pick the transfer-track AS rather than the career-track AAS. The two tracks share courses but have different math sequences — transfer-track requires Calculus I and II; AAS often uses applied math or business math. Confirm with your target four-year school's transfer office before enrolling.
- What programming languages do Alabama community colleges teach?
- Python is dominant for intro courses and data-science tracks. Java is common in transfer-track CS sequences (mirroring what most four-year schools teach in their first two years). JavaScript appears in web-development AAS programs. C++ shows up in some game-dev and embedded-systems tracks. Check each college's catalog below for specifics.
- Is cybersecurity a good track at Alabama CCs?
- Yes — it's one of the highest-employment direct-career paths from a CC. Most Alabama community college cybersecurity programs are aligned with the NSA / DHS Center of Academic Excellence framework and prepare students for industry certifications like Security+ and CySA+. Graduates step into SOC analyst, junior pen-test, or IT-security-admin roles.
Compare Computer Science programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Alabama’s computer science programs stack up.
Other programs in Alabama
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.