Best parts of Alaska to live in for Computer Science Graduates. (Anchorage: homes, living in)

[walter180]

Hello everybody, I was wondering what parts of Alaska are best to live in for somebody with a Computer Science degree. It will be a couple more years before I graduate but I will have my A.A. degree at the end of next semester and might relocate to Alaska before I finish my Bachelor's degree. I plan on focusing on cyber security but that might change before I graduate because I am also interested in programming. My wife and I think Alaska is beautiful and would love to live there one day soon hopefully. I realize that there are other areas of the U.S. that pay better and cost less to live than Alaska but that doesn't matter to us. With that being said, we have 2 children and the most important think we must consider before relocating is to find an area that is a good/safe place to raise children and have a lot of outdoor activities (which I'm sure would account for most of Alaska). We would rather live comfortably in an area that we love than to make a ton of money in an area that we don't.

[AKStafford]

Have you ever visited Alaska?

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by walter180

Hello everybody, I was wondering what parts of Alaska are best to live in for somebody with a Computer Science degree. It will be a couple more years before I graduate but I will have my A.A. degree at the end of next semester and might relocate to Alaska before I finish my Bachelor's degree. I plan on focusing on cyber security but that might change before I graduate because I am also interested in programming. My wife and I think Alaska is beautiful and would love to live there one day soon hopefully. I realize that there are other areas of the U.S. that pay better and cost less to live than Alaska but that doesn't matter to us. With that being said, we have 2 children and the most important think we must consider before relocating is to find an area that is a good/safe place to raise children and have a lot of outdoor activities (which I'm sure would account for most of Alaska). We would rather live comfortably in an area that we love than to make a ton of money in an area that we don't.

Walter,

It would be a good idea to visit Alaska, or just read everything relating to living in Alaska at The Fairbanks, Alaska, and Anchorage forums. See...the cost of living in Alaska is higher than a lot of other places in the lower-48 States. It means that to live a comfortable life with a family in Alaska, it would take a ton of money.

I am not trying to say that you should not move to Alaska; a lot of people move in and do fine, but at the present our economy is in a downturn, which is bad news for all of us.

[pittsflyer]

Yep what Ray said, Anchorage is about it and oil is the only industry that pays enough for you to live a lifestyle you would expect for enduring a BS in computer science degree. When we are a boom, its not unreasonable to start at 55-60k as an entry level engineer or CS degree but in down turns like this even 10 year guys with a professional engineering degree are sweating. The trickle down lays offs are starting now with the telcom companies and the forclosures are starting to hit the market, not a ton but forclosures of single family homes are super rare in anchorage and I have already seen 2 or 3 in the last month.

If you had expereince, specialized certs, and a great resume there are limited hirings but entry level is highly unlikely. BP has completely cut out entry level hire at all levels and I am guessing conoco has done something similar. GCI and ACS may have some really limited entry level stuff but its a captive market so if you did get something I would live minimally and save your money because if you got laid off your not likely to find another job.

I would try to negotiate a round trip ticket out of the deal if they do hire you on because its not unheard of for a company to have incompetent senior management who ramp up then some event happens that they should have planned for but dident and they have to lay people off like 6-12 months after hiring them. Espeicailly in this climate where everything is reactionary to oil prices and govt.