NEW YORK, May 16 (UPI) -- The number of U.S. students pursuing computing degrees has declined markedly since 2000, and even faster among women, a college dean said Friday.

Susan Merritt, dean of computer science at Pace University in New York City, said students enrolled in computing degrees has dropped 70 percent in the past eight years, The Journal News in New York state reported.

Women, who previously comprised 25 percent to 30 percent of those enrolled, now make up 10 percent, Merritt said.

In computing, "there are a lot of jobs," she said. But the interest in computer games has tilted the playing field to appeal more to men, since computer games more often appeal to boys than girls, the report said.

Middle school girls also tend to shy away from appearing smarter than boys, Florence Hudson, and IBM Corporate Strategy executive told The Journal News.

"This is really a problem around the world," Hudson said.