diff --git a/packages/schematics/angular/component/files/__name@dasherize@if-flat__/__name@dasherize__.__type@dasherize__.ts.template b/packages/schematics/angular/component/files/__name@dasherize@if-flat__/__name@dasherize__.__type@dasherize__.ts.template
index dcea9394edb8..d46cd8233862 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/angular/component/files/__name@dasherize@if-flat__/__name@dasherize__.__type@dasherize__.ts.template
+++ b/packages/schematics/angular/component/files/__name@dasherize@if-flat__/__name@dasherize__.__type@dasherize__.ts.template
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { <% if(changeDetection !== 'Default') { %>ChangeDetectionStrategy, <% }%>Component<% if(!!viewEncapsulation) { %>, ViewEncapsulation<% }%> } from '@angular/core';
+import { <% if(changeDetection !== 'OnPush') { %>ChangeDetectionStrategy, <% }%>Component<% if(!!viewEncapsulation) { %>, ViewEncapsulation<% }%> } from '@angular/core';
 
 @Component({<% if(!skipSelector) {%>
   selector: '<%= selector %>',<%}%><% if(standalone) {%>
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import { <% if(changeDetection !== 'Default') { %>ChangeDetectionStrategy, <% }%
     }
   <% } %>`,<% } else if (style !== 'none') { %>
   styleUrl: './<%= dasherize(name) %><%= type ? '.' + dasherize(type): '' %>.<%= style %>',<% } %><% if(!!viewEncapsulation) { %>
-  encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.<%= viewEncapsulation %>,<% } if (changeDetection !== 'Default') { %>
+  encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.<%= viewEncapsulation %>,<% } if (changeDetection !== 'OnPush') { %>
   changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.<%= changeDetection %>,<% } %>
 })
 export <% if(exportDefault) {%>default <%}%>class <%= classifiedName %> {
diff --git a/packages/schematics/angular/component/index_spec.ts b/packages/schematics/angular/component/index_spec.ts
index 5bff59152715..1f03be864db9 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/angular/component/index_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/schematics/angular/component/index_spec.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ describe('Component Schematic', () => {
     inlineStyle: false,
     inlineTemplate: false,
     displayBlock: false,
-    changeDetection: ChangeDetection.Eager,
+    changeDetection: ChangeDetection.OnPush,
     style: Style.Css,
     type: 'Component',
     skipTests: false,
@@ -64,12 +64,23 @@ describe('Component Schematic', () => {
     expect(tsContent).toContain('compileComponents()');
   });
 
-  it('should set change detection to OnPush', async () => {
-    const options = { ...defaultOptions, changeDetection: 'OnPush' };
+  it('should not set change detection when default is OnPush', async () => {
+    const options = { ...defaultOptions };
+
+    const tree = await schematicRunner.runSchematic('component', options, appTree);
+    const tsContent = tree.readContent('/projects/bar/src/app/foo/foo.component.ts');
+    expect(tsContent).not.toMatch(/import.*ChangeDetectionStrategy/);
+    expect(tsContent).not.toMatch(/changeDetection:/);
+    expect(tsContent).not.toMatch(/ChangeDetectionStrategy/);
+  });
+
+  it('should set changeDetection to Eager when requested', async () => {
+    const options = { ...defaultOptions, changeDetection: 'Eager' };
 
     const tree = await schematicRunner.runSchematic('component', options, appTree);
     const tsContent = tree.readContent('/projects/bar/src/app/foo/foo.component.ts');
-    expect(tsContent).toMatch(/changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush/);
+    expect(tsContent).toMatch(/import .*ChangeDetectionStrategy/);
+    expect(tsContent).toContain('changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager,');
   });
 
   it('should not set view encapsulation', async () => {
@@ -348,27 +359,27 @@ describe('Component Schematic', () => {
     expect(tree.files).not.toContain('/projects/bar/src/app/foo/foo.component.spec.ts');
   });
 
-  it('should respect templateUrl when style=none and changeDetection=OnPush', async () => {
-    const options = { ...defaultOptions, style: Style.None, changeDetection: 'OnPush' };
+  it('should respect templateUrl when style=none and changeDetection=Eager', async () => {
+    const options = { ...defaultOptions, style: Style.None, changeDetection: 'Eager' };
     const tree = await schematicRunner.runSchematic('component', options, appTree);
     const content = tree.readContent('/projects/bar/src/app/foo/foo.component.ts');
     expect(content).not.toMatch(/styleUrls: /);
     expect(content).toMatch(/templateUrl: '.\/foo.component.html',\n/);
-    expect(content).toMatch(/changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush/);
+    expect(content).toMatch(/changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager/);
   });
 
-  it('should respect inlineTemplate when style=none and changeDetection=OnPush', async () => {
+  it('should respect inlineTemplate when style=none and changeDetection=Eager', async () => {
     const options = {
       ...defaultOptions,
       style: Style.None,
-      changeDetection: 'OnPush',
+      changeDetection: 'Eager',
       inlineTemplate: true,
     };
     const tree = await schematicRunner.runSchematic('component', options, appTree);
     const content = tree.readContent('/projects/bar/src/app/foo/foo.component.ts');
     expect(content).not.toMatch(/styleUrls: /);
     expect(content).toMatch(/template: `(\n(.|)*){3}\n\s*`,\n/);
-    expect(content).toMatch(/changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush/);
+    expect(content).toMatch(/changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager,/);
   });
 
   it('should create a standalone component', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/schematics/angular/component/schema.json b/packages/schematics/angular/component/schema.json
index a2c04647abf5..3d6f24590bd4 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/angular/component/schema.json
+++ b/packages/schematics/angular/component/schema.json
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
       "description": "Configures the change detection strategy for the component.",
       "enum": ["Eager", "OnPush"],
       "type": "string",
-      "default": "Eager",
+      "default": "OnPush",
       "alias": "c"
     },
     "prefix": {