Arizona State vs Drexel for computer science: which is the better choice?

Arizona State has the edge for computer science for most students. Its CS program is larger, more established, and tied to a broad tech ecosystem in the Phoenix area, which gives students access to more course options, research labs, and recruiting volume. ASU also tends to offer a more traditional college experience with a big campus, big student community, and more flexibility if your interests within computing shift over time.

One major differentiator is program depth and scale. At ASU, computer science sits within a large engineering school with substantial faculty, many computing-related specializations, and strong connections to areas like AI, cybersecurity, robotics, data science, and software engineering. That usually translates into more electives, more student organizations, and more chances to find a niche within CS.

Drexel’s clearest advantage is co-op. Its structure is built around extended paid work experiences, and that can make it easier to graduate with serious resume value and clearer industry direction. For a student who learns best by working and wants internships embedded into the academic plan rather than pursued separately, Drexel is especially attractive.

Location and campus feel also matter here. Drexel benefits from being in Philadelphia, with direct access to an urban environment and nearby employers, but the undergraduate experience is more compressed and career-driven. ASU offers a bigger, more expansive campus environment in Tempe, and its proximity to growing tech employers in the region still gives CS students strong internship pathways without making the whole academic calendar revolve around co-op.

Cost can be a real swing factor. Drexel is often expensive, and even with co-op earnings, the total cost does not always come out lower. If ASU is meaningfully cheaper for you, that strengthens its position quite a bit because CS outcomes depend heavily on what you do in college, not just the school name.

The exception is if Drexel’s co-op model is exactly what you want and the cost is manageable. In that case, Drexel becomes very compelling because few schools integrate work experience into the CS path as directly as it does.