A PhD in computer science in the US takes 6ish years. For reference, I graduated in the middle of my sixth year, so 5.5 years total, which feels standard. Knowing if you are making good progress in the PhD can be pretty challenging since not much is written down. Here is my attempt at making it a little more concrete (based on my experience and observations).

Year 1

Progress in the first year varies a lot because many students come from many different starting points. A substantial portion of first years will come straight from undergrad and may have minimal independent research experience. Most others may have a master’s or work experience or both. I have even met a few students who started as teenagers because they came straight from undergrad and previously skipped a few years of school.

If you transferred fields, spent a longer time away from academia, or feel extra challenged for whatever reason during the first year, try not to worry too much. You still have plenty of time to work out the details.

First years can expect a heavier emphasis on fulfilling degree requirements (like classes or qualifiers). You might also get involved in research at some scale, possibly running your own project, conducting literature review, or joining an existing project. The goal of the first year is setting a good foundation.

Advanced first years feel comfortable managing an independent research project, have a general idea of their research interests/intended research area, and fulfill academic requirements without much trouble. These students typically have a relevant master’s that allows them to waive course requirements and/or substantial research experience. If this sounds like you, take advantage of this time to learn broadly. You might learn something new that dramatically benefits your work (sooner or later).

Standard first years are focused on adapting to a new environment. They may still feel like an undergrad because of their courseload. They may feel behind because they compare themselves to advanced first years who seem to be moving at a lightning pace. If this sounds like you, take your time settling into the program. Try not to worry much about publishing right away or making the fastest progress. Take this time to establish long-term goals, systems, and foundations. A good foundation leads to exponential progress. Just remember that an exponential curve looks linear or even flat in the beginning.

Lagging third years tend to play a lot of catch-up. They may have a weaker academic foundation (less rigorous classes, field transfer, long time away from academia, etc.) or limited research experience. The first year is especially hard for those unfamiliar with the “hidden curriculum” (an understanding of unspoken academic/professional rules that is passed down through informal ways). If this sounds like you, ask questions! Your advisor, senior students in the program, and labmates are great people to start with. I know it can be really intimidating, but many of us truly enjoy extending any advice that we can.

Year 2

The second year is kind of like an extension of the first year except you have one more year of experience. You may still be wrapping up course requirements or starting other milestones (like a candidacy exam, if your program does that). The goal of the second year is to generate momentum.

Advanced second years may already be published, writing a paper, or working steadily on a research project. They are probably finished with course requirements. If this sounds like you, focus on maintaining progress on your project. You may want to start thinking of your next project. Instead of constraining yourself to direct follow-ups of your first project, I encourage you to think more broadly in terms of research themes, directions, or questions. Some first and second years bounce around before settling on a research area. Now is a great time to explore.

Standard second years are probably halfway done with their course requirements and lightly involved in research of some kind. If this sounds like you, keep it up. Slow and steady and all that. You may feel behind because some students in your year are already writing or traveling to conferences or done with classes. Resist the urge to rush. Wrap up non-research requirements one by one and keep up to date with your research project so you can really go go go in your third year.

Lagging second years are struggling with course requirements, possibly failing some. Sometimes, the opportunity to do research as a PhD student is motivation enough to get through it. For some, however, research may feel too boring, unrewarding, or pointless. If this sounds like you, you should think deeply about whether a PhD program is right for you. The PhD should serve you. The end of the second year is good timing to exit with a master’s. The opportunity cost at this point is about the same as anyone else in any ordinary master’s program. Otherwise, you may be destined for years of stressful labor. Worst case, you end up being asked to leave years later anyway. It is a personal choice. Just know it is not a personal failing.

Year 3

The third year is probably most people’s first time they feel that they can dedicate themselves to research without classes or other requirements getting in the way. FWIW, the third year was my favorite. The goal this year is to grow steadily and efficiently.

Advanced third years probably have decent progress on their first project (e.g., already started data collection). They might even be starting their second. They feel comfortable enough with research to mentor someone else, like an undergrad, through the process. If this sounds like you, now is a great time to get involved in outreach or additional collaborations. If you have substantial work done, even if it is still in progress, consider presenting at a lab meeting, seminar, or workshop. Towards the end of the year, you can start thinking about the thesis proposal in terms of what you have already done and directions you find interesting.

Standard third years are establishing their first major project. This might mean reviewing literature, testing procedures, scoping a problem, or asking for feedback. If this sounds like you, focus on defining an interesting, feasible, and fruitful (for lack of a better word) project. In my opinion, the best research projects are ones whose answers lead to more questions. I know it sounds contradictory. It just means that successful projects tend to open more opportunities, which prevents you from accidentally digging yourself into too narrow of a niche.

Lagging third years might still be wrapping up classes or other requirements, preventing them from focusing deeply on research. It might be self-inflicted in an imposter syndrome kind of way, like spending too much time mentoring other people instead of working on your own project because your own project scares you (I might know this from experience…). If this sounds like you, focus on doing what you need to do to settle into your research agenda. It might mean stepping back from external commitments, doing some practice talks, or scheduling a meeting with a labmate to ask a bunch of “stupid” questions. Everyone suddenly starts talking about graduation and thesis proposal and timelines when you hit the fourth year, so the third year is the last chance to be in “figuring it out” mode.

Year 4

The fourth year was a transition period for me. It started feeling foundational again because I was establishing the basis of my future dissertation. Research stopped being about exploration and started becoming more conceptually linear. At this point, your projects should start being at least somewhat aligned so you can eventually unite them with your thesis topic (not necessarily perfectly in sync because that really only happens in hindsight). The goal of this year is to build a solid intellectual structure (for your eventual thesis).

Advanced fourth years start the year knowing their thesis topic. They are well positioned to work on their thesis proposals, possibly even defend them by mid-year. Those who defend the thesis proposal in the middle of the fourth year can probably graduate easily by the end of the fifth year. If this sounds like you, you might want to scan through some current job postings so you can stay up to date on hiring trends (terminology, qualifications, etc.). Even 15 minutes once a year is good enough, just for background information. I felt blindsided when I went on the job market and wished I had done this.

Standard fourth years spend the bulk of the year developing their thesis topic. They are ready to defend the thesis proposal by the end of the year, which means they can graduate by the end of the fifth year with discipline (and luck) or by the middle of the sixth year with ease. If this sounds like you, be sure to dedicate time and mental energy to your thesis proposal in regular intervals throughout the year or in a two-week burst at some point. The proposal is important but not urgent, so it easily gets left behind and suddenly haunts you later. Advisors tend not to put much pressure on the proposal until you actually need to present it, so this milestone will likely need to be more self-directed.

Lagging fourth years do not quite feel like independent researchers yet. They may rely heavily on external guidance or not know how to scope a problem or plan a methodology. They may not have solid “research taste” (an understanding of their own interests at a personal level and within the context of the broader research community). If this sounds like you, you may need to focus generating rather than absorbing ideas. Stop reading papers, asking for other people’s opinions, and/or following someone else’s instructions (for now). Write (or voice record) with reckless abandon: your research interests and weirdest ideas. Brainstorm the dumbest and easiest ways you could possibly accomplish them. It is okay (and probably even best) to take the simplest path forward.

Year 5

Some fifth years will start calling themselves “final-year” PhD students or “ABD” (all but degree, meaning that you have fulfilled all requirements and just need to graduate, useful for job market terms). We are nearing the end! The goal of this year is to finish strong (and get a job, probably).

Advanced fifth years are ready to graduate. They are wrapping up their final projects, writing their dissertations, planning their defenses, and applying to jobs. That might look like applying to faculty (in the fall), postdoc (especially if you want to be a professor but want more time to develop your research), or industry roles (kind of whenever). If this sounds like you, congrats! Go for it, and I will see you at graduation in May.

Standard fifth years are rushing to graduate in May or steadily progressing to graduate during the summer or sixth year. If this sounds like you, you may want to consider walking during May commencement even though you will receive your degree later. It is pretty common for PhD graduates who are finishing in August or December but do not want to wait until the following May to celebrate. Other than that, this is also a good time to scan through job postings to stay up to date on what is going on.

Lagging fifth years, for a variety of reasons, are probably looking at graduating during their seventh year. This might be because progress was disrupted when switching advisors or a project going wrong at an earlier point. Maybe you took leave for a medical reason or an internship. If this sounds like you, focus on prioritization and rest. The PhD is a long program, especially when you see others in your cohort already done. You can do it, one step at a time!

Year 6+

Just focus on graduating 😅. At this point, it might be a matter of bureaucracy, like writing the right content in the dissertation, compiling the committee, or something else. You might want to lean on a senior professor who is very experienced in getting students out the door. You got this!