4 answers
Alex
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
4
Questions
Updated
1069 views
Is computer science a good field to go into?
I want to go into a field with plenty of opportunities that provide financial security
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4 answers
Candace Barr
Consulting, Coaching + Career Document Development
3
Answers
Birmingham, Alabama
Updated
Candace’s Answer
Absolutely! The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 15% growth in computer and information technology jobs from 2021 to 2031, which is faster than the average growth for all other jobs. This means your skills will be highly sought after.
Your study will revolve around computer hardware and software systems. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, this degree can lead to a wide range of career opportunities. Some of the typical jobs you can aim for include:
- Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning Engineer
- Business Analyst
- Cloud Computing Engineer
- Computer Scientist or Researcher
- Data Scientist
- Database Administrator
- Full-Stack Developer
- IT Specialist
- Information Security Analyst
- Mobile App Designer or Developer
- Network Architect
- Product Manager
- Research and Development Scientist
- Software Developer
- Software Engineer, Tester, or QA Manager
- Systems Analyst
- UI/UX Designer
- Web Developer
In terms of salary, the average income for a Computer Network Architect in 2021 was over $120,000 for those with a bachelor's degree at entry level. For Software Developers and QA Analysts, the median salary was over $100,000.
Your study will revolve around computer hardware and software systems. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, this degree can lead to a wide range of career opportunities. Some of the typical jobs you can aim for include:
- Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning Engineer
- Business Analyst
- Cloud Computing Engineer
- Computer Scientist or Researcher
- Data Scientist
- Database Administrator
- Full-Stack Developer
- IT Specialist
- Information Security Analyst
- Mobile App Designer or Developer
- Network Architect
- Product Manager
- Research and Development Scientist
- Software Developer
- Software Engineer, Tester, or QA Manager
- Systems Analyst
- UI/UX Designer
- Web Developer
In terms of salary, the average income for a Computer Network Architect in 2021 was over $120,000 for those with a bachelor's degree at entry level. For Software Developers and QA Analysts, the median salary was over $100,000.
Martha Kramer
Corporate Training, Communications
335
Answers
Stamford, Connecticut
Updated
Martha’s Answer
Hi, Alex, this is an excellent question and Candace provided terrific feedback. I would just like to add / reiterate:
- If you mean good salary by "financial security", I agree with Candace that computer science is a good match. However, computer companies can be volatile and have lay-off's. The newer the technology, the more volatile the company. This is true of many companies these days, but I thought I would mention it.
- One of the other good things about computer science is the variety of roles (see Candace's list). In college, it would be good to take courses in various areas to see which you prefer
- Many fields can provide financial security so make sure that you enjoy the work. Also, understand that the company you work for, as well as your team, can greatly affect how you feel about your job. If you find yourself unhappy on the job some time, consider whether it is the work, the company, or your co-workers (maybe some combination?) that are the cause and follow up accordingly.
Good luck!
- If you mean good salary by "financial security", I agree with Candace that computer science is a good match. However, computer companies can be volatile and have lay-off's. The newer the technology, the more volatile the company. This is true of many companies these days, but I thought I would mention it.
- One of the other good things about computer science is the variety of roles (see Candace's list). In college, it would be good to take courses in various areas to see which you prefer
- Many fields can provide financial security so make sure that you enjoy the work. Also, understand that the company you work for, as well as your team, can greatly affect how you feel about your job. If you find yourself unhappy on the job some time, consider whether it is the work, the company, or your co-workers (maybe some combination?) that are the cause and follow up accordingly.
Good luck!
Milan Stajcic
Worldwide Service Provider Business Development
2
Answers
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Updated
Milan’s Answer
Hi Alex,
First of all, it is commendable that you are already planning your future career in IT. As you already saw from previous answers, the perfect scenario would be to find some IT position that could motivate you to educate yourself and improve your knowledge on daily basis since IT is the fastest changing industry out there. That being said, if your goal is just to have a well-paid job in IT field that is a bit slower and more conservative (meaning - technology not changing significantly every couple of months) then my advice would be to specialize in SAP or SalesForce ERP systems (there are many courses online on Linkedin, Youtube, Udemy). Just in case you didn't hear about ERP abbreviation before, it means "enterprise resource planning" and it is a software system that helps you run your entire business including finance, human resources, manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, sales, client relations, and many more. Because of their complexity, they are very hard and expensive to implement (especially in a big company), but it also means that they will be used by the clients for many years (I would say at least 5 years) without any significant changes. You can consider becoming an implementation consultant for any industry out there like pharmaceutical, automotive, food & beverage, oil & gas, mining, etc. So, in the end you can find your job in an industrial branch that you actually like the most, but earning the "IT salary". I hope this helps you, and I wish you best of luck in your future endeavors.
Regards,
Milan
SAP, SalesForce web research
First of all, it is commendable that you are already planning your future career in IT. As you already saw from previous answers, the perfect scenario would be to find some IT position that could motivate you to educate yourself and improve your knowledge on daily basis since IT is the fastest changing industry out there. That being said, if your goal is just to have a well-paid job in IT field that is a bit slower and more conservative (meaning - technology not changing significantly every couple of months) then my advice would be to specialize in SAP or SalesForce ERP systems (there are many courses online on Linkedin, Youtube, Udemy). Just in case you didn't hear about ERP abbreviation before, it means "enterprise resource planning" and it is a software system that helps you run your entire business including finance, human resources, manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, sales, client relations, and many more. Because of their complexity, they are very hard and expensive to implement (especially in a big company), but it also means that they will be used by the clients for many years (I would say at least 5 years) without any significant changes. You can consider becoming an implementation consultant for any industry out there like pharmaceutical, automotive, food & beverage, oil & gas, mining, etc. So, in the end you can find your job in an industrial branch that you actually like the most, but earning the "IT salary". I hope this helps you, and I wish you best of luck in your future endeavors.
Regards,
Milan
Milan recommends the following next steps:
David Blomberg
1
Answer
Updated
David’s Answer
Hi Alex,
Computer Science is a great core skill in almost every field going forward.
Getting into Computer Science is a lifelong learning commitment. No matter what specialty you get into, all Comp Sci areas are constantly changing. You will need a commitment to your studies if you want to ensure financial success. I see far too many colleagues who lack commitment and tend to suffer for it.
My best advice on this, find something that excites you in the Computer Science field. It will help a lot! Finding your drive will make much of the rest come into place. If you find studying a drag, don't just try to "suffer through it;" see if you can find a way to turn it into a game or challenge.
A good way to start is to use VMs in VirtualBox or small HW devices like Raspberry Pis if you can afford them. Set up small VMs and test and play in them. Experiment and keep good notes. Working in disposable VMs, avoids the fear of messing up your OS and lets you take all kinds of risks when playing with new technologies.
Even if you start in Computer Science, find other interests as well. You may find another field that interests you more. There is a good chance that any field you find will have a heavy connection with Computer Science.
Computer Science is a great core skill in almost every field going forward.
Getting into Computer Science is a lifelong learning commitment. No matter what specialty you get into, all Comp Sci areas are constantly changing. You will need a commitment to your studies if you want to ensure financial success. I see far too many colleagues who lack commitment and tend to suffer for it.
My best advice on this, find something that excites you in the Computer Science field. It will help a lot! Finding your drive will make much of the rest come into place. If you find studying a drag, don't just try to "suffer through it;" see if you can find a way to turn it into a game or challenge.
A good way to start is to use VMs in VirtualBox or small HW devices like Raspberry Pis if you can afford them. Set up small VMs and test and play in them. Experiment and keep good notes. Working in disposable VMs, avoids the fear of messing up your OS and lets you take all kinds of risks when playing with new technologies.
Even if you start in Computer Science, find other interests as well. You may find another field that interests you more. There is a good chance that any field you find will have a heavy connection with Computer Science.