A recent survey by GoGrad.org ranked Columbus State University as having the No. 1 online computer science master’s degree in the nation for the second consecutive year.

The college review site lists affordability, availability of academic and career counseling services and job placement as the reasons for the success of CSU’s Applied Computer Science degree. The program is designed for professionals interested in learning more about cutting-edge technology for careers in software engineering, web development, network management and data security.

“The flexibility, quality, level of innovation, affordability and networking opportunities available to our students provide a tremendous competitive advantage that others are starting to notice,” said Wayne Summers, chair of CSU’s TSYS School of Computer Science.

According to College Board, 656,000 new computer science jobs are expected to be added to the market by 2018, making it one of the fastest growing career fields available. The Technology Association of Georgia recently reported that Georgia’s technology sector surged in 2015 with the addition of more than 12,000 jobs, adding $900 million to the sector’s payroll in one year.

This is the second time in a row that GoGrad.org has ranked CSU’s computer science degree the top choice for prospective students. The program also captured the attention of Computer Science Online, where it is listed as the country’s third best online master’s degree in computer science.

“The TSYS School of Computer Science is extremely proud of this recognition,” said Summers. “Our online master's degree in computer science has scored a near perfect grade on GoGrad.org for two years in a row. It is a testament to the contributions of our faculty, staff and students to the high quality of computer science education at CSU.”