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Computer science is arguably one of the best majors you can choose due to the current technological advancement, availability of jobs and relevance.
However, this field is not for everyone.
For you to excel in computer science, you need to be an analytical thinker, do well in mathematics and have problem-solving skills.
Therefore, you don’t have to do computer science because you were advised by someone else or your friends are doing it.
You need to have the passion and get committed to enjoying your career path.
There are numerous job opportunities for computer science graduates.
In the modern world, computers are often in use making computer skills necessary in everyday life.
So…
Should you major in computer science?
Let’s explore what computer science studies can give you.
With a computer science degree, you can:
Article Table of Contents
Do Mobile App Development
Smartphones have become popular over the years and most people are prefer using them because they are just like computers.
One can be able to access the internet regardless of the location, they are portable and can be used in many other ways.
Mobile apps make smartphones effective because they offer additional features and uses.
This is applicable to both Android and IOS operating systems.
For you to develop a mobile app, you need to have skills and experience in mobile app development which is a part of computer science.
You can either get employed by a mobile app firm or start your own mobile app development company where you can develop apps and sell them or earn money.
It is not easy to start doing it yourself especially if you have never worked in mobile app development but with experience and help from other professionals, it is possible.
There is a wide range of mobile apps being used to date and many more are being developed as time goes by.
Mobile app development can be for mobile-focused companies e.g. Uber or for game development.
You can also develop apps for a company which has a website i.e. make an app for the company e.g. for a financial institution, a bank, learning institution, hotels, etc.
Join a Digital Company
This depends on your skills, goals, and ambitions.
It is possible to join a digital company and have a variety of projects to work on depending on your area of expertise.
However, you can work for a single company and still make good money.
In most cases, digital agencies tend to burn people out to get the most out of them.
Therefore, if you are working for a digital agency which has a variety of projects, you might have less time/energy to work on other projects if offered.
In addition, when you join a digital agency, it might be hard to terminate your contract especially if they are relying on you.
However, working for a single company or agency that have a single platform or product, you have the freedom to choose the type of programming you want to specialize in.
Also, you will have plenty of time to finesse your skills because you will have average tasks to work on.
When you choose to work with an agency that works with only one product/platform, it’s best to specialize in something.
Here are some of the things you can specialize in:
Front / End or Back / End Engineering
Front-end engineering is a part of a website where you only see as a visitor while back-end engineering involves how the interface you see on a website interacts with all the information you can’t see and the database.
If you would like to do both front and back end engineering, you can do it as a full-stack and you will be equipped to deal with either when an opportunity presents itself
Web Development
You can specialize in developing websites for companies, businesses and other institutions.
The type of websites vary depending on the owner’s specifications, its use, institution, etc.
Web development is very marketable as most companies/businesses require a website nowadays to sell their products and services.
On the other hand, with web development skills, you can also incorporate SEO skills which go hand in hand with websites.
SEO is used to generate traffic to business sites to improve sales and a lot of businesses are adopting this technique because it’s fast, reliable and cheap compared to other advertisement options e.g. radio and TV
Data Engineering & Data Science
This is also a broad area to specialize in but it is also one of the areas people get paid a lot.
A data engineer mainly prepares data for operational or analytical purposes.
The tasks of a data engineer can vary from organization to organization but the skills required are similar.
Education
If you have a passion for computer science, you need more than 12 weeks to gain necessary skills.
Tech companies are constantly looking for good engineers who have a 4-year computer science degree.
This is quite different from a certificate that takes less than 4 months.
Tech companies understand that getting a computer certificate after 4 months does not make you understand fundamental understanding if computer science e.g. in algorithms.
Therefore, with just that certificate, you cannot be hired as an engineer in renowned companies such as Spotify and Facebook.
Click here to see online computer science programs.
Salary
Although you may not be looking forward to working on Facebook, there is one thing you should know.
Working with a professional company will help you become a better engineer and you will get better pay.
These companies have been funded with millions of dollars by venture firms and all they are looking is a talented computer engineer.
They will be willing to pay you well provided you can provide the services they are looking for.
Therefore, you should be looking forward to working with a stabilized company to benefit from your course.
With your skills, these companies will build their product, have a huge success and you will too benefit from them.
Career
What are long-term career paths or prospects in computer science?
In the long term, you can run your own business and manage an engineering team.
Here, you will need competent individuals to work with you to attain your goals.
The team of experts will be determined by the services you would like to offer, available capital, available market for the services needed and your preference because you will be the business owner.
You can have a team of web developers and focus mainly on developing websites and managing them.
On the other hand, you can have a team with variable specializations to deal with any task your firm is hired to do.
You can venture into software architecture.
Here, you will not have to manage a team because you can work alone and get good pay.
It is possible for good architecture to make about $200k depending on what he or she is working on.
You can also create a product and found your own company.
With time, you can hire other professionals to help you depending on how the job market is.
Interested in a different career? Find here a list of courses that might interest you.
Interesting Computer Science Careers Outlook Video
Other Benefits of Majoring in Computer Science
Software Engineers Are Esteemed in Tech Companies
The modern world revolves around technology and this is one of the reasons software engineers who work in tech-focused companies e.g. Apple, Spotify and Facebook are treated like kings.
In most cases, these engineers are treated well unlike in other jobs because these companies rely on them.
Most of these companies offer you free food, good pay, let you wear jeans among other perks which you might never find anywhere else.
With time, more and more products are getting connected through the use of the software.
Cars, refrigerators, mobile phones, alarm systems, security systems, etc.
One of the reasons is to make it easy to use these devices.
Additionally, e-commerce is very popular and people are now preferring shopping online and having goods/services delivered to their doorstep.
For e-commerce to be effective, software engineers are required each and every year.
In fact, Amazon is known to hire some of the best engineers in the world just to keep their systems running.
There are other areas that are going to require great software engineering e.g. SaaS, gaming & entertainment, finance, etc.
There Is a High Possibility You Can Work Remotely
Although this is not guaranteed and it depends on the company you are working for, software engineers have a higher chance of working remotely.
They only need to offer their services and sometimes they don’t need to be at their places of work.
Other careers where you may have to work remotely include:
- Customer support
- Phone sales
- Skilled writing in copywriting, medical writing, scriptwriting, product descriptions, etc.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve made up your mind to major in computer science, you need to be very considerate about the school you choose.
You need to join a decent school, especially in the computer science program because this can determine your future employer, where you will get employed and level of expertise.
Therefore, do thorough research to find a good school even though it is a little bit expensive.
Alternatively, you may get referrals and recommendations from friends or relatives.
However, you should not settle on the recommendations at first.
You need to do further research, gather as much information as possible and then narrow down your choices.
So when you ask yourself:
Should I major in computer science?
The answer is: you need to weigh all the factors and make the right decision for you.
Good luck!