Fordham vs University of Washington for computer science: which is better for CS students?

University of Washington is the stronger choice for computer science. Its CS ecosystem is much deeper, and Seattle gives students unusually direct access to major tech employers for internships, research, and recruiting.

The biggest difference is the program itself. UW’s Paul G. Allen School is one of the most established and respected CS programs in the country, with broad course offerings across systems, AI, machine learning, HCI, theory, and software engineering. That usually translates into more advanced classes, more specialized faculty, and more peers who are seriously building technical projects.

Internship access is another major separator. Being in Seattle matters a lot for CS because companies like Amazon and Microsoft are part of the local hiring pipeline, and there is also a wider regional startup and tech scene. Fordham’s New York location is useful in a broad career sense, especially for business or finance-adjacent tech roles, but it does not have the same concentrated CS recruiting advantage that UW has.

For building real software skills, UW tends to offer a stronger environment simply because of scale and technical density. You are more likely to find rigorous project-based coursework, active computing clubs, hackathons, research labs, and classmates who push one another technically. That kind of culture often matters as much as the formal curriculum when it comes to becoming a strong developer.

Fordham is not a bad option, especially if you value smaller classes, a Jesuit liberal arts setting, or want a CS education within a more intimate university environment. But if the question is which school gives a CS student the better overall platform for technical growth, internships, and job placement, UW has a clear edge.