Several US universities offer named degrees in artificial intelligence, among them Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Stanford, Georgia Tech, the University of Texas at Austin, and Northeastern. Programs differ in level, format, and cost, from an online master's whose tuition works out to roughly USD 6,810 at current Georgia Tech rates (an illustrative calculation, before fees) to an on-campus master's listed at USD 61,504. No ranking is used here, because the right program depends on research focus, prior preparation, budget, and whether paid work experience is wanted.
Key takeaways
- Degree names vary: Carnegie Mellon and MIT offer undergraduate AI majors, while Stanford offers an AI specialization inside its computer science master's.
- Published costs range widely. Georgia Tech's online master's charges USD 227 per credit hour in Fall 2026, and Northeastern's on-campus MS in AI lists USD 61,504 for 2026-27.
- Co-ops, online delivery, and research institutes are the main structural differences worth comparing.
- International students should check immigration rules with the school's international office, since STEM eligibility depends on the degree's classification.
What to compare before applying
Seven factors separate one AI program from another: research areas, faculty working on the topics of interest, curriculum, funding, work experience such as co-ops, admission requirements, and total cost in USD. The program's own pages are the primary source for each. Titles are a weak guide. The same material can sit under artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer science with an AI specialization, or data science.
Two practical checks help early. First, the curriculum page should list required courses, not just a general description, so that the mix of math, programming, and ethics is visible. Second, the cost figure should state its academic year and whether fees are included. Pages from the department or graduate school are more reliable than third-party lists, which may be out of date.
Verified examples of named AI programs
The table lists programs whose details were read on official university pages in October 2026. It is a sample, not a complete or ranked list.
| Institution | Program | Level and format | Facts from the official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | B.S. in Artificial Intelligence | Undergraduate, on campus | Introduced in fall 2018. Applicants are admitted to the computer science school first and can declare the major in spring of the first year. |
| Carnegie Mellon University | M.S. in Machine Learning | Graduate, full-time on campus | Industry-oriented track takes about 16 months, the research-oriented track about 20. The department states it offers no online or part-time degrees. |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | B.S. in Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making (Course 6-4) | Undergraduate, on campus | Offered by Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Students pick one subject from each of five areas: data, model, decision, computation, and human-centric. A social and ethical responsibilities subject is required. |
| Stanford University | M.S. in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence specialization | Graduate, on campus | 45 units total, at least 36 graded, with a 3.0 GPA. The AI specialization requires 21 units. |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Online M.S. in Computer Science (OMSCS) | Graduate, online | 30 credit hours across 10 courses, with specializations that include Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The degree must be finished within six years. |
| University of Texas at Austin | Online M.S. in Artificial Intelligence | Graduate, online | Announced in January 2023 by the computer science department and the Machine Learning Laboratory, at a price close to USD 10,000. |
| Northeastern University | M.S. in Artificial Intelligence | Graduate, on ground, part-time or full-time | Optional paid co-op of four to eight months. Tuition listed at USD 61,504 for academic year 2026-27, excluding fees. Campuses include Boston, Portland, Seattle, and Silicon Valley. |
Why degree names differ
Carnegie Mellon describes its B.S. in Artificial Intelligence as the first bachelor's degree in the field in the United States. Its coursework spans computer science, math, statistics, computational modeling, machine learning, and symbolic computation, with required ethics courses. MIT's major organizes AI around five areas rather than one list of electives. Stanford folds AI into a general computer science master's, which keeps the door open to other specializations.
These choices reflect different philosophies about how early to specialize. A student with a strong computer science base may prefer a specialization inside a broader degree. A student who already knows the target field may value a dedicated AI major. Neither structure is better in general; the fit depends on the goal.
Cost and format in practice
Georgia Tech's bursar lists OMSCS tuition at USD 227 per semester credit hour for Fall 2026, plus an online learning fee of USD 212 per semester for fewer than four credit hours or USD 531 for four or more. As an illustrative example, 30 credit hours at that rate come to USD 6,810 in tuition before fees, assuming the rate stays flat, which it may not. The University of Texas announcement put its online AI master's near USD 10,000 in 2023, so the current figure should be confirmed on the program page.
Northeastern's on-campus master's costs several times as much but includes an optional paid co-op. Its admission page asks for transcripts, a statement of purpose, a resume, and recommendation letters, plus some programming experience and at least one year of linear algebra or high-level statistics. It also lists a GRE waiver for applicants with 10 or more years of relevant work experience.
Research institutes beyond the classroom
Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered AI launched in 2019 and draws on faculty from all seven Stanford schools. Carnegie Mellon's Machine Learning Department also runs doctoral and joint doctoral programs, including ones with public policy and statistics. At the national level, the National Science Foundation reports 29 National AI Research Institutes, connecting more than 500 institutions, each funded at about USD 20 million over five years. Prospective graduate students can check whether a campus hosts or partners with one.
Notes for international students
F-1 students with STEM degrees from accredited, SEVP-certified schools may apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension after initial post-completion work authorization, according to the Study in the States STEM OPT hub. Eligibility turns on the degree's classification on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List, whose copy opened for this article was last updated on July 22, 2024 and includes Artificial Intelligence among its computer and information sciences titles. Rules change, and individual cases differ, so the international student office at each school is the right source for advice.
Decision checklist
- The program page names required courses, not just topics.
- Faculty and labs match the research area of interest.
- Total cost for the full degree is stated with academic year and fees.
- Admission prerequisites in programming, linear algebra, and statistics are met or have a plan.
- Format fits life circumstances: on campus, online, part-time, or with a co-op.
- Funding options, such as assistantships or employer support, are listed on the department site.
- For international applicants, the degree classification and work authorization rules were confirmed in writing.
FAQ
Is a computer science degree required before an AI master's?
Requirements differ. Northeastern's page asks for some programming experience and a year of linear algebra or statistics, rather than a specific undergraduate major. Each department states its own prerequisites.
Are online AI master's degrees the same as on-campus ones?
Georgia Tech states that OMSCS has the same degree requirements as its on-campus M.S. in Computer Science, with fewer specializations and courses offered. Other schools set their own rules, so the program page should be checked.
Does this list rank universities?
No. The examples show different program structures and costs, and many other US universities offer strong AI study.
How can total cost be estimated?
Multiply the per-credit rate by the credit hours, then add semester fees and living costs. The result is only an estimate, since rates and fees change at the end of academic terms.
Related reading
- AI and data science programs at other institutions
- AI programs versus traditional software
- how AI analyzes large datasets
- AI across US industries
More in AI in education.
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- B.S. in Artificial Intelligence, Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science
- Academics, Machine Learning Department, Carnegie Mellon University
- Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making (Course 6-4), MIT Catalog; MIT Schwarzman College of Computing
- CS-MS Program, Stanford Bulletin; About, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI
- Fall 2026 OMSCS Tuition and Fees, Georgia Tech Bursar; Fall 2026 OMSCS Orientation Document, Georgia Institute of Technology
- AI Master's Program Launches With Ability to Serve Thousands, UT News, University of Texas at Austin, January 26, 2023
- Master's in Artificial Intelligence, Northeastern University Graduate Programs
- National AI Research Institutes, National Science Foundation
- STEM OPT Hub, Study in the States, US Department of Homeland Security; DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List, ICE, July 22, 2024