Georgia Tech is ranked number one nationally in cybersecurity education and fifth overall for computer science (CS) in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2021 Edition Undergraduate Rankings released today.

Georgia Tech also tied for second nationally in undergraduate software engineering.

“These rankings are recognition of the College of Computing’s steadfast commitment ­to providing students with a world-class, forward-thinking computing education that will serve them well regardless of their ultimate career path,” said Dean of Computing Charles Isbell.

Georgia Tech is tied for fifth in computer science in the new rankings with Caltech, Cornell University, Princeton University, University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Washington. CS is the largest major at Georgia Tech.

[Complete U.S. News & World Report 2021 Undergraduate Computer Science Rankings]

These rankings – particularly in cybersecurity ­– are well-timed for the College of Computing. The new Georgia Tech School of Cybersecurity and Privacy will be formally announced later this week.

“The new School of Cybersecurity and Privacy is the first of its kind among top research universities and builds on Georgia Tech’s substantial investment into education and research in this critically important field,” said Isbell, who also holds the John P. Imlay Jr. chair.

Along with cybersecurity and software engineering, Georgia Tech also ranked well in artificial intelligence (No. 9), computer systems (No. 8), data analysis/science (No. 8), and theory (No. 10).

Other Georgia Tech schools also fared well in the new U.S. News undergraduate rankings.

This is the first year that undergraduate CS is included in rankings. According to U.S. News, adding CS to its undergraduate ranking highlights one of the most rapidly growing and important majors in higher education today. U.S. News evaluated 481 undergraduate CS programs. The outlet says deans and senior faculty from peer schools and departments determine its rankings.