What can you do with a computer science degree?
Interested in learning what you can do with a CS degree? Keep reading to discover career paths and skills you can gain from majoring in this exciting field!
Photo by Markus Spiske / Unsplash
Are you interested in technology and want to know what career options a degree in computer science can open? Keep reading to learn about some of the many career paths a computer science degree can take you on!
Reasons to pursue a computer science degree
Computer science is a field that has been growing at an exponential rate over the past decade. Due to its relatively new nature, there is an high need for young workers in the field. Today, modern corporations rely on software to store information and power their operations, making CS a field in which demand will only continue to increase.
All of these factors combined contribute to CS students being one of the highest-paid majors out of university, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting an 11% job growth in computer and information technology occupations over the next 10 years.
What jobs are available to CS majors?
The opportunities for programming are expansive, to say the least. Here are some of the positions in which expertise in computer software is in high demand:
Full-stack developer
Full-stack developers are engineers who work with both the back-end and the front-end of software applications.
- Back-end: the coding that goes into creating and supporting the server side of applications (the user doesn’t see this, but it is what powers the application).
- Front-end: the coding that goes into creating and supporting the client side of applications (the graphical depiction of the application or what the user sees).
It is worthy to note that you don't have to be a full-stack engineer: you can work in specifically back-end or front-end depending on your interests.
Web developer
This position refers to someone who develops web/internet applications. This is a great position for someone who is interested in coding languages like HTML and CSS and prefers the development and customization of things more along the lines of websites rather than proprietary software.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning engineers
AI/ML engineers work on the design and development of systems that are capable of learning and making predictions of future data. This can range from anything like predicting stock prices to recognizing faces (think FaceID on your phone!). These engineers generally specialize in AI during their degree.
Cloud computing engineer
A person in IT responsible for building and maintaining cloud infrastructure. Cloud infrastructure refers to the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. In other words, it is purposed to provide easy and scalable access to computing resources.
Cybersecurity engineer
These specialized developers help build and maintain the security of software applications. They protect user data against hackers and the oversee the stability of software apps from traffic.
These are just some of the jobs someone with a computer science degree can go into. Other more niche roles include: professor, information security analyst, database administrator, research and development scientist, data scientist, and more.
Personal relevancy of a computer science degree
Another note about being a computer science major is that it can be a tremendous asset to any side hustles or personal endeavors. Aside from simply helping you to be tech savvy and competent in using technology for your personal benefit and enjoyment, it can also open up other opportunities that aren’t necessarily salaried careers.
Want to start a small business that sells t-shirts and need to customize a website? Depending on the type, a computer science degree may give you the skills to make this seemingly daunting task easy. Want to develop your own video games for fun? A computer science degree can also come in handy.
Final remarks
Given the growing need for workers experienced in computer science and the sheer versatility of the field, obtaining a computer science degree is a great way to go. Although, like with any other major, it is imperative to only pursue a computer science degree if you are really interested in it. While the money may be attractive, this should not be your main reason to go into a field as complex as computer science.
Whichever path you decide to take, Simplify wishes you luck, and if you decide you are interested in computer science, Simplify can make the application part of getting internships and jobs in the field a breeze!