New CRA Taulbee Report Released: CS Majors up!

The latest CRA (Computing Research Association) Taulbee report is out:

The number of new students majoring in computer science increased 8.5 percent over last year. The total number of majors increased 5.5 percent, yielding a two-year increase of 14 percent. Computer science graduation rates should increase in two to three years as these new students graduate.

via CRA Taulbee Report: CS Enrollments, New Majors Up For 2nd Straight Year.

I have two caveats to mention on this report.  First, this is the CRA — research-focused, PhD-granting institutions.  I don’t know if it’s the same at the smaller schools, and I don’t know who measures that.  From what I’ve heard, things have flattened out at smaller schools, but are not much better.

While these are positive signs, it’s kind of like the signs that the economy is improving.  Yeah, it is, but there sure are lots of unemployed people and boarded up stores yet.  Look at this graph that I’m copying from the CRA website:

Are the number of new majors increasing?  Absolutely!  But there is a huge gap between 2000 and 2009.  It’s better, but it’s not what it was.