Does having a large endowment make a computer science program better?

I've heard that schools with big endowments have more resources. Does that translate to better computer science programs? Should I pay attention to endowment sizes when picking a college?

While a large endowment can potentially provide a university with more resources for its departments, it doesn't automatically correlate to the quality of a specific program, like computer science. An endowment can fund scholarships, professorships, research, and even updated facilities, but it's important to understand that the use of these funds is at the discretion of the school, and is spread across many departments and disciplines.

When considering a strong computer science program, there are other factors to look into that may be more indicative of the program's quality. Course content, faculty caliber, interdisciplinary opportunities, research avenues, relationships with tech companies for internships and job placement, and alumni success are all critical aspects to consider. It's not uncommon for smaller universities or those with smaller endowments to house robust, well-regarded computer science programs.

A prime example is Harvey Mudd College, a small liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Despite having a significantly smaller endowment in comparison to large research universities, Harvey Mudd's computer science program is known for its rigor and successful outcomes. Their graduates are highly sought after and often go on to earn high salaries in the tech industry.

So to answer your question, while you can view a large endowment as a positive feature of a university, I wouldn't place it above more direct indicators of program quality when assessing computer science programs.