Computer Science degree (Van: how much, high school, college)

[rgomez912]

I am currently a senior in high school, and will be attending UTSA in FALL 2010. My major will be in Computer Science and I was wondering how much would someone make a year with a Bachelors surpose to a Masters?

Would there be a big difference in pay? Is it more worth it to go for a Masters or go get a job first?

[skeet09]

There is more of a pay increase if you do the bachelor's coupled with some computer certifications. Once you receive your bachelor's and you have a employer footing the bill for your master's, then go for it. Some employers will also foot the bill for certifications. This seems to be the consensus with technical recruiters but with today's economy, I am not sure if they have changed their tune. Chat with a recruiter or find some recent articles about this topic and see what you find.

[doss1]

I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend you go for a Computer Science degree! They are in so demand right now, especially with Federal Agencies. Pay is awesome and gets better. I don't think you need a Masters...just get a BA in CS and you're all set. Good luck!

[majormadmax]

First and foremost, get that degree! According to the last census (2005), a record high of 28% of Americans had college degrees…and they do pay off!

Workers 18 and over WITHOUT a high school diploma earn an average of $18,734 a year, those WITH a high school diploma earn $27,915; but those with a BACHELOR’S degree earn $51,206 and workers with an ADVANCED DEGREE make an average of $74,602.

US Census Press Releases (http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/004214.html - broken link)

As someone with a masters in IT, I would recommend getting some experience and certifications before pursing your grad degree; but I would make it a goal for the future as it will help you make the leap from worker to management (and more money) down the road...

Oh, and my company not only paid for my second masters, they also pay for certain certifications. RD knows more about it than I do (I am not in the CS arena right now), I am sure he'll pipe in.

Cheers! M2

[alphagaiter]

From working in the IT field a Master's degree probably won't equate to too much more in pay, but it will help you stand out among other candidates with similar qualifications but no Masters degree. In IT, experience is what matters, not what degrees you have. This of course depends on the employer, but some employers really could care less what degrees you have as opposed to what kind of technologies you work with and what kind of projects you've completed.

[majormadmax]

Agreed, but I would not completely look at this from an employer's perspective. Most are simply interested in getting someone's skill set at the lowest possible cost. You may always been employed with certain qualifications, but to advance it is very beneficial to have a masters degree in addition to experience. Simply keeping qualified will set you up for failure, as eventually someone with the same qualifications will come along and do the job cheaper. You have to adapt and survive in this environment, and anything and everything you can do to make yourself stand out from the crowd will always be of benefit. Look out for yourself and your future, and don’t rest on your laurels…

So again, the bottom line is get a job, qualifications and experience now, and put a masters on your 'to do' list...

[pobre]

Get a job, THEN get your Master's degree...this holds true for many fields of study. When I was taking graduate business courses, the difference between those who had held (or who were currently employed) jobs (not summer jobs...career positions) was evident and immense.

And, yes, it is a possibility that your employer would finance all or part of your degree.

[neddy]

Mr got a computer science degree a couple of years ago from UTSA (2007) and what gave him the edge over other grads when interviewing was the places he was able to intern at (Southwest Research etc) and his gpa. Friends with not so high gpa and not really any interning starting at about $15000 less than he did (they work for a really really big building right of I-10 on the NW side)

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by pobre

Get a job, THEN get your Master's degree...this holds true for many fields of study. When I was taking graduate business courses, the difference between those who had held (or who were currently employed) jobs (not summer jobs...career positions) was evident and immense.

And, yes, it is a possibility that your employer would finance all or part of your degree.

Another added benefit is that getting an advanced degree while working fulltime is a big positive indicator on resumes. Professional students, less impressive...

[rgomez912]

Thanks for all the replys I then will just go for the BA degree, get a job in said field and then look about going for my Masters. Still debating to focus in programming or move into networking.