20 Best Computer Science MOOC / Non-credit Programs Online
We compared 20 Computer Science courses currently listed on Coursera, edX and Udemy, priced from $24.99 to $670.50. 18 of them teach the subject directly and 2 are built around a certification exam. 12 come from a named university or institution, including Princeton University, Goldsmiths, University of London & University of London and Institute of Science Tokyo. 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
- 20
- Price range
- $24.99 – $670.50
- Providers
- Coursera, edX, Udemy
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 20 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 $24.99 to $670.50, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose
Offered by Princeton University
The basis for education in the last millennium was “reading, writing, and arithmetic;” now it is reading, writing, and computing. Learning to program is an essential part of the education of every student, not just in th...
$49.00listed price -
2
Essential Mathematics for Computer Science
Offered by Goldsmiths, University of London & University of London
The Essential Mathematics for Computer Science specialisation provides the fundamental toolkit needed to excel in computing, data science, and software engineering. Across five courses, you will progress from core mathem...
$49.00listed price -
3
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 -
4
Java Programming Essentials: AP Computer Science A
[CS 22][Please watch all preview videos before signing up this course]This course covers the first of AP Computer Science which includes complete introduction for Java programming. The course is suitable for people...
$59.99listed price -
5
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 -
6
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 -
7
Computer Science
Offered by Florida International University
This Computer Science course on edX is designed to equip you with foundational and advanced knowledge in various computer science concepts. You'll explore essential theories and practical applications, making it a compre...
Price on site -
8
Computer Science for Web Programming
Offered by Harvard University
This course focuses on the essentials of computer science as they apply to web programming. You'll explore key programming concepts and technologies used in web development, allowing you to build and maintain dynamic web...
$376.20listed price -
9
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 -
10
Fundamentals of Computer Science
Offered by IITBombay
The Fundamentals of Computer Science course on edX offers a solid introduction to essential computing concepts. You'll explore core areas of computer science, including programming, algorithms, and data structures, setti...
$670.50listed price -
11
Academic Computer Science (ACS 25)
Are you ready to build a strong foundation in computer science? Academic Computer Science is the perfect course for beginners and aspiring programmers who want to master the core concepts of programming using C++.This co...
$24.99listed price -
12
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 -
13
Algorithms, Data Collection, and Starting to Code
Offered by University of Colorado System
This course starts you on your journey learning about computational thinking and beginning C programming. If you’d like to explore how we can interact with the world in a rigorous, computational way, and would also like...
$49.00listed price -
14
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 -
15
Advancing FAIR™ within Risk Management Programs
Offered by FAIR Institute
This comprehensive course is designed to guide executives in effectively integrating the FAIR model into their cyber risk management programs, ensuring their strategies remain adaptable in the face of evolving threats. P...
$49.00listed price -
16
Java Database Engineering: Spring Boot MVC & SQL Mastery
Offered by Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
Master the full stack of database engineering with this comprehensive course that bridges theoretical SQL knowledge with practical Spring Boot MVC application development. Through hands-on projects building a library man...
$49.00listed price -
17
C Programming: Pointers and Memory Management - 4
Offered by Dartmouth College & Institut Mines-Télécom
In this course, we will examine a key concept, foundational to any programming language: the usage of memory. This course builds upon the basic concept of pointers, discussed in C Programming: Modular Programming and Mem...
$49.00listed price -
18
Cryptography
Offered by Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
This course is designed to give you a solid foundation in how information is protected in the digital age. Step into the world of cryptography—the science behind secure communication. This course aims to prepare you for...
$49.00listed price -
19
Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris (Project-Centered Course)
Offered by Hebrew University of Jerusalem
What you’ll achieve: In this project-centered course* you will build a modern computer system, from the ground up. We’ll divide this fascinating journey into six hands-on projects that will take you from constructing ele...
$49.00listed price -
20
Software Testing and Automation
Offered by Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
The course “Software Testing and Automation’ provides a comprehensive introduction to software testing, covering both foundational principles and modern testing practices used in industry. Learners begin by understanding...
$49.00listed price
Best Computer Science MOOC / Non-credit Programs 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 19 priced courses on this page run from $24.99 to $670.50, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $645.51. 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. 12 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including Princeton University, Goldsmiths, University of London & University of London and Institute of Science Tokyo — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Courses versus exam preparation
2 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.