25 Best Computer Science Courses Online
Choosing an online computer science programme can be confusing because the field covers many topics from theory to programming. This page brings together 25 courses from Coursera, edX and Udemy, arranged in our own ranking, so you can compare what each option offers before deciding where to enrol. All courses are designed for learners at different stages, from beginners with no prior coding experience to those seeking advanced specialisations. The list includes short introductions such as discrete mathematics and basic programming, specialist pathways like artificial intelligence, data science and Python. Prices range from $39.99 to $466.20, and each entry notes the provider and the university or institution delivering the course. Use the information here to match the course length, prerequisite level and price with your learning goals. Consider also the credential type—some entries are standalone certificates while others contribute towards a degree—and whether the teaching institution aligns with your career interests.
- Courses compared
- 25
- Price range
- $19.99 – $466.20
- Providers
- Coursera, edX, Udemy
- Last updated
- 5 Sep 2026
How these 25 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, edX, Udemy, matched to "computer science" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $19.99 to $466.20, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Introduction to Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
Offered by University of California San Diego
Discrete Mathematics is the language of Computer Science. One needs to be fluent in it to work in many fields including data science, machine learning, and software engineering (it is not a coincidence that math puzzles...
$79.00listed price -
2
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming
Offered by Institute of Science Tokyo
The term “Computation” refers to the action performed by a computer. A computation can be a basic operation and it can also be a sophisticated computer simulation requiring a large amount of data and substantial resource...
$79.00listed price -
3
Trial Lessons: Philosophy and Computer Science
Offered by University of Bayreuth
Open to a new degree? Try it! This compact course will offer you a glimpse into the master's programme Philosophy & Computer Science at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. Throughout seven chapters, you will gain insi...
Price on site -
4
Computer Science for Python Programming
Offered by Harvard University
This course focuses on Python programming within the realm of computer science, guiding you through foundational concepts and practical applications. You'll learn how to employ Python for various tasks and develop proble...
$466.20listed price -
5
Computer Science for Artificial Intelligence
Offered by Harvard University
This course provides a thorough foundation in computer science principles as they relate to artificial intelligence. You'll explore key concepts and technologies that drive AI development, helping you understand how algo...
$466.20listed price -
6
Computer Science for Data Science
Offered by Harvard University
This course, 'Computer Science for Data Science,' aims to bridge the gap between computer science principles and the practical techniques needed in data science. You'll explore essential concepts, tools, and methodologie...
$466.20listed price -
7
Computer Science 101
Offered by Stanford University
Introduction to Computer Science for a zero-prior-experience audience. Play with little phrases of code to understand what computers are all about.
$249.00listed price -
8
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Offered by Maryville University
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is designed to equip students with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of computer science, along with practical skills in software development and system design. By explori...
Price on site -
9
Computer Science
Offered by University of Massachusetts Boston
This Computer Science course offers a thorough grounding in essential concepts and practices within the field. By engaging with real-world applications, you’ll develop a solid foundation that will serve you well whether...
Price on site -
10
AP Computer Science A - Java Concepts and Fundamentals
This course will provide you with a high-level understanding of Java concepts and fundamentals with a focus on succeeding on the AP Computer Science A exam. This course provides videos for each major topic that...
$39.99listed price -
11
Behavioral Interview Practice for Computer Science Students
Offered by CodeSignal
Practice behavioral interview skills for computer science job searches, including storytelling, recruiter screens, and panel interviews. Learn how to present your background clearly and respond to common interview prompt...
$30.00listed price -
12
CS50's Computer Science for Lawyers
Offered by Harvard University
This course is a variant of Harvard University's introduction to computer science, CS50, designed especially for lawyers (and law students).
$299.00listed price -
13
CS50's Introduction to Computer Science
Offered by Harvard University
An introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming.
$219.00listed price -
14
CS50’s Computer Science for Business
Offered by Harvard University
This is CS50’s introduction to computer science and tech literacy for business professionals.
$299.00listed price -
15
Introduction to Programming with MATLAB
Offered by Vanderbilt University
This course teaches computer programming to those with little to no previous experience. It uses the programming system and language called MATLAB to do so because it is easy to learn, versatile and very useful for engin...
$49.00listed price -
16
C Programming: Language Foundations - 2
Offered by Dartmouth College & Institut Mines-Télécom
In this course you will learn to use logical statements and arrays in C. Logical statements are used for decision-making with follow-up instructions, based on conditions you define. Arrays are used to store, keep track o...
$49.00listed price -
17
python 3.x Online Arabic
Offered by Alexandria University
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاتهمع حضراتكم م/أحمد قنديلخريج جامعة الأسكندرية دفعة 2002من سنة تخرجي(2002) ولعدة سنوات عن طريق إختبارات من قسم هندسة الحاسب بهندسة الأسكندرية تم إنتدابي لتدريس مادة الحاسب والبرمج...
$19.99listed price -
18
Precalculus: Periodic Functions
Offered by Johns Hopkins University
This course helps to build the foundational material to use mathematics as a tool to model, understand, and interpret the world around us. This is done through studying functions, their properties, and applications to da...
$49.00listed price -
19
Learn to Teach Java: ArrayLists and 2D Arrays
Offered by University of California San Diego
Learn to program with ArrayLists and 2-D Arrays in Java, and prepare to teach others using the free, online interactive CS Awesome textbook. In this course for teachers we'll guide you both in learning Java concepts and...
$49.00listed price -
20
Capstone Project: Teaching Impacts of Technology
Offered by University of California San Diego
In this project-based course you’ll review the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles course and exam description guide to prepare for the “Explore Task”, where students must research a recent computing innovatio...
$49.00listed price -
21
Unordered Data Structures
Offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The Unordered Data Structures course covers the data structures and algorithms needed to implement hash tables, disjoint sets and graphs. These fundamental data structures are useful for unordered data. For example, a ha...
$79.00listed price -
22
Image and Video Processing: From Mars to Hollywood with a Stop at the Hospital
Offered by Duke University
In this course, you will learn the science behind how digital images and video are made, altered, stored, and used. We will look at the vast world of digital imaging, from how computers and digital cameras form images to...
$49.00listed price -
23
Data Structures and Algorithms
Offered by University of California San Diego
Computer science legend Donald Knuth once said “I don’t understand things unless I try to program them.” We also believe that the best way to learn an algorithm is to program it. However, many excellent books and online...
$79.00listed price -
24
Computer Aided Design
Offered by Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
In this course, learners will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of computer-aided design and its implementation through computer graphics. The course involves topics related to the CAD foundation, 3D Graphics pip...
$49.00listed price -
25
Fundamentals of Network Communication
Offered by University of Colorado System
In this course, we trace the evolution of networks and identify the key concepts and functions that form the basis for layered architecture. We introduce examples of protocols and services that are familiar to the studen...
$79.00listed price
Best Computer Science Courses Online compared
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.
What the prices here tell you
The 22 priced courses on this page run from $19.99 to $466.20, with the middle of the range around $79.00 — a spread of $446.21. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.
Who is behind these courses
These courses come from Coursera, edX and Udemy. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 15 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of California San Diego, Institute of Science Tokyo and University of Bayreuth — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Courses versus exam preparation
3 of the entries here are built around a certification exam rather than teaching Computer Science from scratch. They are the right choice only if you already know the material and want to pass a specific exam; if you are starting out, pick one of the taught courses first and come back to exam preparation afterwards.
Before you enrol
Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 5 September 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.