Pathways to Doctoral Degrees in Computing

The United States faces a critical shortage of computing doctorates - a vital workforce responsible for driving advances in artificial intelligence, bolstering cybersecurity, and training the next generation of computing innovators. A decline in advanced degrees in computing will undercut technology innovation across all sectors and put U.S. global competitiveness at risk. Pathways to Doctoral Degrees in Computing recommends addressing this anticipated shortage through improved graduate student recruitment, retention, and mentoring programs as well as targeted interventions to address hiring challenges. This report also explores how new partnerships between academia and industry could better align computing programs with broader workforce needs, and what data is needed to support these efforts.