Artificial Intelligence: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Artificial Intelligence is an advanced academic discipline dedicated to developing systems capable of simulating human cognition, decision-making, and adaptive behavior through computational models. This field explores how machines can learn from data, interpret complex information, and perform tasks traditionally requiring human intelligence, with applications spanning healthcare, robotics, automation, and beyond.
- Computing Theory: Foundations of algorithm design, computational complexity, and formal logic that underpin intelligent system development.
- Cybernetics: Study of regulatory systems, feedback mechanisms, and adaptive control in both biological and artificial environments.
- Natural Language Processing: Techniques enabling machines to understand, interpret, and generate human language with contextual accuracy.
- Human Factors: Design principles that optimize interactions between humans and intelligent systems for safety, efficiency, and usability.
- Machine Learning & Reasoning: Development of models that enable systems to learn patterns from data and make logical inferences autonomously.
- Robotics & Motor Control Modeling: Simulation and implementation of movement, coordination, and physical interaction in autonomous agents.
- Applied Engineering & Technology: Integration of AI principles into real-world systems, including embedded devices, smart infrastructure, and industrial automation.
Artificial Intelligence Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Artificial Intelligence Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Artificial Intelligence degrees, including Computer and Information Research Scientists, Software Developers and Data Scientists. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 1,962,600 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Research Scientists 15-1221 | $140,910 | $80,670 - $232,120 | 38,480 | $67.74 |
| Software Developers 15-1252 | $133,080 | $79,850 - $211,450 | 1,654,440 | $63.98 |
| Data Scientists 15-2051 | $112,590 | $63,650 - $194,410 | 233,440 | $54.13 |
| Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1021 | $96,690 | $48,910 - $172,380 | 36,240 | N/A |
Salary Comparison
Artificial Intelligence Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $82,160 in Mississippi to $156,943 in Washington—a 91% difference. The highest-paying states include Washington, California, and New York. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 1,962,600 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Artificial Intelligence by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 87 institutions offering Artificial Intelligence programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Artificial Intelligence is found at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) (234 graduates), University of Pennsylvania (Penn) (87 graduates), Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) (74 graduates), San Jose State University (SJSU) (69 graduates), and University of North Texas (UNT) (69 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,653 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Admissions | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
234 |
SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-35 |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | cmu.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Master's
|
87 |
SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-35 |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
74 |
SAT: 1180-1410 ACT: 25-31 |
Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| San Jose State University (SJSU) |
Master's
|
69 | N/A | San Jose, California | Public | sjsu.edu |
| University of North Texas (UNT) |
Master's
|
69 |
SAT: 980-1230 ACT: 19-27 |
Denton, Texas | Public | unt.edu |
| Johns Hopkins University (JHU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
62 |
SAT: 1530-1580 ACT: 34-35 |
Baltimore, Maryland | Private | jhu.edu |
| Florida Atlantic University (FAU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
60 |
SAT: 1040-1210 ACT: 20-26 |
Boca Raton, Florida | Public | fau.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Master's
|
58 |
SAT: 1460-1550 ACT: 33-35 |
Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
53 |
SAT: 1510-1580 ACT: 34-36 |
Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | web.mit.edu |
| University of San Diego (USD) |
Master's
|
50 | N/A | San Diego, California | Private | sandiego.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
|
40 |
SAT: 1440-1550 ACT: 32-35 |
Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Boston University (BU) |
Master's
|
38 |
SAT: 1400-1520 ACT: 32-34 |
Boston, Massachusetts | Private | bu.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Master's
|
35 |
SAT: 1490-1560 ACT: 33-35 |
Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| University of Missouri-St Louis (UMSL) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Postbac Cert.
|
31 |
SAT: 1030-1220 ACT: 20-27 |
Saint Louis, Missouri | Public | umsl.edu |
| Gannon University |
Master's
|
31 | N/A | Erie, Pennsylvania | Private | gannon.edu |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) |
Postbac Cert.
|
30 | N/A | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Private | msoe.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Master's
|
29 | N/A | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| University of California (UCSC) |
Master's
|
28 | N/A | Santa Cruz, California | Public | ucsc.edu |
| University of Bridgeport (UB) |
Master's
|
26 | SAT: 880-1115 | Bridgeport, Connecticut | Private | bridgeport.edu |
| The University of Texas (UTSA) |
Master's
Other Award
|
25 |
SAT: 1000-1200 ACT: 19-26 |
San Antonio, Texas | Public | utsa.edu |
| Brandeis University |
Master's
|
23 |
SAT: 1390-1530 ACT: 31-34 |
Waltham, Massachusetts | Private | brandeis.edu |
| Yeshiva University (YU) |
Master's
|
23 |
SAT: 1320-1500 ACT: 28-33 |
New York, New York | Private | yu.edu |
| University of Michigan |
Master's
|
22 |
SAT: 990-1260 ACT: 23-30 |
Dearborn, Michigan | Public | umdearborn.edu |
| Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) |
Postbac Cert.
|
22 |
SAT: 1280-1460 ACT: 29-33 |
Rochester, New York | Private | rit.edu |
| Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) |
Postbac Cert.
|
20 | N/A | Monterey, California | Public | nps.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Master's
|
20 |
SAT: 1150-1360 ACT: 24-29 |
Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| Saint Louis University (SLU) |
Master's
|
19 |
SAT: 1210-1430 ACT: 26-31 |
Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | slu.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
17 |
SAT: 1160-1420 ACT: 21-30 |
Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Postbac Cert.
|
16 |
SAT: 1350-1500 ACT: 31-34 |
Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| Miami Dade College (MDC) |
Other Award
|
16 | N/A | Miami, Florida | Public | mdc.edu |
| Duke University |
Master's
|
14 |
SAT: 1510-1570 ACT: 34-35 |
Durham, North Carolina | Private | duke.edu |
| University of Central Florida (UCF) |
Master's
|
13 |
SAT: 1190-1350 ACT: 25-29 |
Orlando, Florida | Public | ucf.edu |
| Full Sail University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | N/A | Winter Park, Florida | Private | fullsail.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Master's
|
13 |
SAT: 1160-1390 ACT: 25-32 |
Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Capitol Technology University |
Doctorate (R)
|
13 | N/A | Laurel, Maryland | Private | captechu.edu |
| Maryville University of Saint Louis |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
13 | N/A | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | maryville.edu |
| Wayne Community College (WCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
13 | N/A | Goldsboro, North Carolina | Public | waynecc.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (R)
|
12 | N/A | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Houston Community College (HCC) |
Associate's
|
12 | N/A | Houston, Texas | Public | hccs.edu |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (SMUMN) |
Postbac Cert.
|
11 | N/A | Winona, Minnesota | Private | smumn.edu |
| University of Akron |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
11 |
SAT: 950-1190 ACT: 18-25 |
Akron, Ohio | Public | uakron.edu |
| DePaul University |
Master's
|
10 |
SAT: 1130-1340 ACT: 26-31 |
Chicago, Illinois | Private | depaul.edu |
| University of Advancing Technology (UAT) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
10 | N/A | Tempe, Arizona | Private | uat.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Master's
|
10 |
SAT: 1100-1340 ACT: 18-30 |
University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | worldcampus.psu.edu |
| Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
9 | N/A | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | cnm.edu |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) |
Postbac Cert.
|
9 |
SAT: 1330-1500 ACT: 30-34 |
Troy, New York | Private | rpi.edu |
| DSDT |
Other Award
|
9 | N/A | Detroit, Michigan | Private | dsdt.edu |
| Long Island University (LIU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
8 |
SAT: 1140-1350 ACT: 25-30 |
Brookville, New York | Private | liu.edu |
| Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
8 | N/A | Chandler, Arizona | Public | cgc.maricopa.edu |
| Montclair State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
7 | SAT: 940-1225 | Montclair, New Jersey | Public | montclair.edu |
| Kent State University |
Master's
|
7 |
SAT: 1000-1230 ACT: 18-25 |
Kent, Ohio | Public | kent.edu |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology |
Master's
|
7 |
SAT: 1130-1320 ACT: 23-29 |
Rapid City, South Dakota | Public | sdsmt.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Postbac Cert.
|
7 |
SAT: 1180-1398 ACT: 22-29 |
Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Master's
|
6 |
SAT: 1230-1420 ACT: 28-33 |
Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
6 |
SAT: 1040-1230 ACT: 21-28 |
Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
6 |
SAT: 1170-1400 ACT: 27-32 |
Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Drake University |
Bachelor's
|
6 |
SAT: 1190-1390 ACT: 24-30 |
Des Moines, Iowa | Private | drake.edu |
| Colby College |
Bachelor's
|
5 |
SAT: 1440-1550 ACT: 32-34 |
Waterville, Maine | Private | colby.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Master's
|
4 |
SAT: 1110-1350 ACT: 21-28 |
Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology |
Bachelor's
|
4 |
SAT: 1170-1390 ACT: 28-32 |
Redmond, Washington | Private | digipen.edu |
| University of West Florida (UWF) |
Doctorate (R)
|
3 |
SAT: 1020-1230 ACT: 20-27 |
Pensacola, Florida | Public | uwf.edu |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
3 |
SAT: 1210-1470 ACT: 25-32 |
Newark, New Jersey | Public | njit.edu |
| Stevens Institute of Technology |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 |
SAT: 1370-1500 ACT: 31-34 |
Hoboken, New Jersey | Private | stevens.edu |
| University of Rochester |
Master's
|
3 |
SAT: 1400-1540 ACT: 31-34 |
Rochester, New York | Private | rochester.edu |
| Dakota State University (DSU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 |
SAT: 1020-1340 ACT: 20-26 |
Madison, South Dakota | Public | dsu.edu |
| Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) |
Associate's
|
3 | N/A | Avondale, Arizona | Public | estrellamountain.edu |
| Buena Vista University (BVU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | ACT: 18-25 | Storm Lake, Iowa | Private | bvu.edu |
| Oakland University (OU) |
Master's
|
2 | SAT: 995-1185 | Rochester Hills, Michigan | Public | oakland.edu |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) |
Postbac Cert.
|
2 |
SAT: 1150-1378 ACT: 25-31 |
Rolla, Missouri | Public | mst.edu |
| Montana State University (MSU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
2 |
SAT: 1060-1270 ACT: 20-27 |
Bozeman, Montana | Public | montana.edu |
| SUNY College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | SAT: 1100-1270 | Plattsburgh, New York | Public | plattsburgh.edu |
| Sinclair Community College |
Other Award
|
2 | N/A | Dayton, Ohio | Public | sinclair.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Doctorate (R)
|
2 |
SAT: 1270-1450 ACT: 29-33 |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USC) |
Postbac Cert.
|
2 |
SAT: 1180-1380 ACT: 26-32 |
Columbia, South Carolina | Public | sc.edu |
| South College |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
2 | N/A | Knoxville, Tennessee | Private | south.edu |
| University of Houston (UHD) |
Master's
|
2 |
SAT: 960-1110 ACT: 17-23 |
Houston, Texas | Public | uhd.edu |
| Concordia University-Wisconsin (CUW) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | ACT: 22-29 | Mequon, Wisconsin | Private | cuw.edu |
| University of South Alabama (USA) |
Other Award
|
1 |
SAT: 1015-1200 ACT: 19-26 |
Mobile, Alabama | Public | southalabama.edu |
| National University (NU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | N/A | San Diego, California | Private | nu.edu |
| University of Louisville (UofL) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 |
SAT: 1020-1250 ACT: 19-27 |
Louisville, Kentucky | Public | louisville.edu |
| Lawrence Technological University (LTU) |
Master's
|
1 | N/A | Southfield, Michigan | Private | ltu.edu |
| Saint Peter's University (SPU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | N/A | Jersey City, New Jersey | Private | saintpeters.edu |
| Oklahoma Christian University (OC) |
Master's
|
1 |
SAT: 1000-1220 ACT: 19-27 |
Edmond, Oklahoma | Private | oc.edu |
| Freed-Hardeman University (FHU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 |
SAT: 934-1084 ACT: 19-26 |
Henderson, Tennessee | Private | fhu.edu |
| City University of Seattle (CityU) |
Master's
|
1 | N/A | Seattle, Washington | Private | cityu.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 |
SAT: 1190-1460 ACT: 27-34 |
West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| Strayer University (SU) |
Other Award
|
1 | N/A | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | strayer.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Artificial Intelligence programs
How much can I earn with a Artificial Intelligence degree?
Salaries for Artificial Intelligence graduates vary by role and location. Computer and Information Research Scientists earn a median of $140,910 annually, while Software Developers earn around $133,080. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Washington average $156,943 compared to $82,160 in Mississippi. Approximately 1,962,600 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Artificial Intelligence programs?
Currently 87 accredited institutions offer Artificial Intelligence degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) (234 graduates), University of Pennsylvania (Penn) (87 graduates), and Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) (74 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Artificial Intelligence growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 93 in 2010 to 1,653 in 2023-24. This represents a 1,677% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Artificial Intelligence degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Computer and Information Research Scientists, Software Developers, and Data Scientists. Related occupations employ approximately 1,962,600 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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