Is the University of Washington worth it for computer science compared with Harvard?

For computer science itself, University of Washington is absolutely worth taking as seriously as Harvard, and for many students it can be the smarter choice. UW is one of the most respected CS schools in the country, especially because of the strength of the Paul G. Allen School, its deep recruiting ties to major tech companies, and its location in Seattle near Amazon, Microsoft, and a huge startup scene. In CS circles, UW does not read like a consolation prize to Harvard at all.

One major differentiator is industry access. UW students benefit from being in one of the best tech hubs in the country, which makes internships, part-time work, networking, and research with applied industry connections especially accessible. For a student who wants to go straight into software engineering, product work, systems, AI, or tech startups, that proximity can matter a lot in practical ways during college, not just after graduation.

Another difference is how each school is perceived within CS specifically. Harvard has unmatched broad prestige and an elite overall brand, which can help in many fields and certainly will not hurt in tech. But for computer science, UW has a more field-specific reputation that is every bit substantial, and in some technical circles it may carry more immediate weight because people know the program is deeply established and produces strong engineers at scale.

The biggest thing that can swing the decision is cost. If UW would be much cheaper, it is very easy to argue that it offers better value for CS. If Harvard is offering enough aid that the price is similar, then Harvard becomes harder to turn down because you would be getting excellent CS training plus the broader flexibility of the Harvard name, alumni network, and cross-disciplinary opportunities.