15 Best Computer Science Courses for Beginners
We compared 15 Computer Science courses currently listed on Coursera, edX and Udemy, priced from $29.99 to $219.00. 14 of them teach the subject directly and 1 are built around a certification exam. 10 come from a named university or institution, including University of California San Diego, Institute of Science Tokyo and Harvard University. They are ordered by our CourseAsk score, which is built from how thoroughly each course describes what it teaches, whether it comes from a named institution, and how it compares on price — not from star ratings, which our course data does not include.
- Courses compared
- 15
- Price range
- $29.99 – $219.00
- Providers
- Coursera, edX, Udemy
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 15 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 $29.99 to $219.00, 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
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 -
4
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 -
5
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 -
6
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 -
7
Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals
Offered by Duke University
Take your first step towards a career in software development with this introduction to Java—one of the most in-demand programming languages and the foundation of the Android operating system. Designed for beginners, thi...
$49.00listed price -
8
Fundamentals of Computing
Offered by Rice University
This Specialization covers much of the material that first-year Computer Science students take at Rice University, brought to you by the world-class Faculty who teach our master's and PhD programs. Students learn sophist...
$49.00listed price -
9
Introduction to Programming with C Language
Offered by International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore
The 'Introduction to Programming with C Language' course is suitable for learners with no prior programming experience. The course covers the fundamentals of the C programming language. At the end of this course, the lea...
$49.00listed price -
10
Introduction to Scripting in Python
Offered by Rice University
Developed by Rice University's world-class Computer Science & Data Science faculty, this specialization is intended for beginners who would like to master essential programming skills. Through four courses, you will cove...
$49.00listed price -
11
C, Go, and C++: A Comprehensive Introduction to Programming
Offered by University of California, Santa Cruz
This specialization is intended for all programming enthusiasts, as well as beginners, computer and other scientists, and artificial intelligence aficionados seeking a comprehensive introduction to programming. Starting...
$49.00listed price -
12
Introduction to Python
Offered by University of California, Berkeley
Students are introduced to computer science and data science through Python programming. They learn abstraction, iteration, and higher-order functions to write efficient, readable code and build the foundation for comput...
$200.00listed price -
13
C Programming for Beginners - Complete Tutorial
Do you want to learn C programming in the fastest and easiest way? If yes, you've come to the right place.WHAT OUR LEARNERS ARE SAYING:Shikhar says, "This beginner's C programming course is exceptional. The Instructor's...
$99.99listed price -
14
Scratch 3.0 Coding Course: For Kids, Beginners, & Educators
"In this engaging course, discover the world of programming and coding through the exciting lens of Scratch. Developed by MIT, Scratch transforms programming into an enjoyable adventure, making it feel like a game.Our ph...
$29.99listed price -
15
Introduction to Dapps development with Rust and Foundry
How to start developing new and improved Dapps with Rust?Let's learn the exciting optimizations possible with Rust, and let's start with algorithmic sufficiency first.Students will learn how to calculate algorithmic effi...
$199.99listed price
Best Computer Science Courses for Beginners 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 15 priced courses on this page run from $29.99 to $219.00, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $189.01. 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. 10 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of California San Diego, Institute of Science Tokyo and Harvard University — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Courses versus exam preparation
1 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 18 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.