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how much schooling in needed for computer programmer?

I want to know how much schooling recommended for a programmer. I don´t wamt to go college for 4 years.

college-major career-path computer-software computer-programming
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Fred’s Answer

That depends on your definition of "computer programmer". You can start learning to program right now if you download the right things. Python and Java are both pretty easy to get started with. Once you write a "Hello, world!!!" program, you call yourself a computer programmer.

I'm assuming you want to know what you have to do to get HIRED as a programmer. Well, you can start your own business, look for clients, and now you are a professional programmer.

However, what you really need is EXPERIENCE. Learning to program takes time and effort. Learning to be a GOOD programmer takes MORE time and effort.

There are most likely schools in your area that will teach you some programming skills. If you don't want a degree, look at a community college or a state school for specific classes. Practice on your own at home, and develop a portfolio - something to talk about if you get an interview and they ask "what kind of projects have you done?"

And remember...in the job market, you are competing against other people. Not having a degree makes you less desirable to an employer (probably). If it comes down to you and one other person, all things equal but they have a degree and you don't....

Finally, often your salary is based on your experience. No degree == less experience == less salary. And your first salary can set your salary path for a long time. Each new position will generally base you new salary off your old. That is something that can follow you until you retire.
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Dani’s Answer

Hi there! I'm a Product Manager, and work with many folks who found programming later in their careers. There are many bootcamps or methods to self-learn many of the skills required for software development. I would say it's key to be honest with yourself on your ability to learn and what you think will hold yourself accountable to achieving the goals you want to achieve. Best of luck to you!
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Yuliya’s Answer

I would say that a degree in computer science is strongly recommended and would help you go farther in your career and improve your chances of succeeding in this profession. A degree would help you ensure that you have a well-rounded understanding of core computer science concepts, it would expose you to career opportunities like college career fairs, internships, etc., and it would help you build a network of life-long connections that you can leverage in the future when changing companies, etc.

Having said that, a degree is certainly not required. For example, a very close relation of mine does not have a college degree, but decided as an adult that he wanted to pursue a computer science career because he was always passionate about computers. He signed up for a several months long bootcamp and picked up a good understanding of basic programming skills as well as hands on experience with many of the currently popular web development technologies. He was able to get a good job after completing this bootcamp and is now doing very well in his career as a software developer.

I would say that part of what enabled him to succeed is true passion for this space, self-driven motivation to keep learning and improving, and social skills and confidence to represent himself well in interviews. You have to be really honest with yourself and evaluate your own personality and passions to decide if you will really stick with a less traditional way of pursuing a career in software engineering or if college and more traditional path would be a better choice for you.
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Thai’s Answer

It depends on how much effort you put into it, number of focus hours per day and number of days per week. It's a huge help if you have someone around to answer questions when you're stuck. It makes a huge difference.

I am a self taught programmer if it makes any difference.
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William’s Answer

Hi Garett!

It depends on your career goal as you can see below.

Junior Computer Technician go for A Level / Level 3 / High School Diploma / Access to Higher Education Diploma with specialization certification or technician licence.

Associate / Computer Technician go for Level 4 / Certificate of Higher Education / Associate Degree / Higher National Certificate qualification with specialization certification and, or registration in professional body.

Computer Professional go for Level 5 / Diploma of Higher Education / Foundation Degree / Higher National Diploma qualification with specialization certification and registration in professional body.

Computer Management / Supervisory go for Level 6 / Honours Degrees / Graduate Diploma / Professional Graduate Certificate qualification with specialization certifications and professional registration.

Computer Expert / Consultant go for Level 7 / Masters Degrees qualification with specialization certificate and professional registration.
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Rob’s Answer

College is only "1" way to develop skills. There are so many alternatives to college that will provide you with the skills you need. Online courses (thousands of free ones) can get you started. Start exploring some of the "basic" courses that give you a fundamental overview and the most common software languages. Once you find something that really peaks your interest, you can work towards being "certified" in a specific software discipline.
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Rebecca’s Answer

Thank you for your question. I am glad that you are interested to develop your career in technology. I am not sure the reason why you would not prefer to attend college. This is one of the most enjoyable days I have ever had.
On the other hand, you can learning programming yourself. Below are my suggestions :
1. Identify the easy programming languages to start first, e.g. Scratchy, Python, etc.
2. Learn the language and syntax. There are plenty of resources online
3. Start doing simple program to familiar with the language
4. Try to do use the programming language simple projects, e.g. control robots, a car, etc.
5. After you familiar with the language, you can learn more complicate programming languages, e.g. Java, C, C#, etc.
Having said that, I still recommend you to take the Computer Science in the college. This can give you an good understanding on the Computing Theories and explore for different programming languages. It would be helpful for your career development in Tech.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
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Francislainy’s Answer

Hi Garett,
I would say although having a degree may help you getting to interviews, what is normally going to get you a job is what you really know, and much of that is something you can generally learn outside a classroom. There are many Youtube tutorials that can teach you the basics for a language or framework. You could try some of them and after some time try to create your own portfolio of projects and applying for internships or entry level positions.
If you do decide to go to college, I would say there's no much of a need to go for a too long of a course unless you really want to go focus on a specific field and do something like research on that area. Otherwise having a master or doctors in computer science doesn't normally mean you will be ahead of someone who did a bachelor's degree but has some real work and projects to display.
I hope that helps.
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