Pennsylvania Community Colleges
Computer Science Programs
Computer science and IT pathways at community colleges in this state. Programming, networking, cybersecurity, and transfer-track CS courses.
7 colleges · 428 sections · 127 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Pennsylvania 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 428 sections this term across 7 PA CCs 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 Pennsylvania 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
Pick a college to see its full plan — every required course, which ones transfer to the school you want, and what’s open now.
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community College of Allegheny County | 128 | 40 | 75 | 59 | $55,759 |
| Community College of Philadelphia | 100 | 24 | 22 | 215 | $49,863 |
| Montgomery County Community College | 61 | 31 | 39 | 95 | $50,829 |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College | 55 | 23 | 35 | 33 | — |
| Luzerne County Community College | 42 | 22 | 14 | 22 | — |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | 40 | 12 | 19 | 23 | — |
| Westmoreland County Community College | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | — |
Computer Science Availability Snapshot
How computer science sections are being offered across 7 colleges in Pennsylvania this term (428 sections total).
Delivery format
- online187 (44%)
- in person129 (30%)
- hybrid93 (22%)
- zoom19 (4%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)108
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)79
- Evening (5 PM and after)57
- Asynchronous / TBA184
Start dates
Sections begin on 15 distinct dates. 189 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 104 distinct instructors across 7 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Community College of Allegheny County2 programs
Reading Area Community College1 program
Detailed course requirements are not yet available for this program. View in college catalog
Source: College catalog
Common Computer Science courses
- CIS 103Intro to Info Technology(55 sections)
- CIS 105Computer Systems Maintenance(47 sections)
- CIS 110Introduction to Computer Systems(28 sections)
- CIT 100Comp Fund/Applictn(22 sections)
- CIT 115Info Technology Fund(17 sections)
- CIT 111Intro to Prog: Java(14 sections)
- CIS 155Principles of Operating System(9 sections)
- CIS 111Electronic Commerce(9 sections)
- CSCI 111Computer Science I(7 sections)
- CIT 120Networking Concpts(7 sections)
- CIS 114JavaScript I(6 sections)
- CIS 150Network Technology(5 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 Pennsylvania’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Pennsylvania's typical pay for this occupation is roughly in line with the national picture.
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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania CCs?
- Yes — it's one of the highest-employment direct-career paths from a CC. Most Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania’s computer science programs stack up.
Other programs in Pennsylvania
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.