Computer science has been one of the hottest college majors for 15 years. Enrollment data suddenly shows a big drop.

Computer science involves much more than writing code. It blends technical knowledge —like programming, algorithms and data systems — with soft skills, such as communication and problem-solving.

Access to high school computer science courses has plateaued, and overall high school student participation in those classes has declined slightly, concludes Code.org’s annual report on the state of ...