{"id":165,"date":"2021-08-11T21:47:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-11T21:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mscs.live-casewestern.pantheonsite.io\/?p=165"},"modified":"2024-01-03T21:27:46","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T01:27:46","slug":"is-a-masters-in-computer-science-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onlineprograms.case.edu\/mscs\/blog\/is-a-masters-in-computer-science-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Know a Computer Science Master’s is Worth It (And Why Alumni Networks Matter)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Perhaps you’ve heard that the demand for technology professionals with AI, database and data mining, security and software engineering skills is growing. Or that computer scientists with master’s degrees can earn $100,000 or more<\/a>. Maybe you’ve hit a frustrating career plateau. Or it could be that going to graduate school simply feels like the obvious next step in your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever your reasons for exploring Master of Science in Computer Science<\/a>, or MSCS, programs, think carefully before you take that next step. You can’t answer the question ‘Is a computer science master’s worth it?’ by looking at cost versus earning potential alone. Enrolling in an online part-time computer science master’s program will give you skills you’ll need to thrive in an increasingly automated world<\/a>, boost your earning potential and qualify you to step into more senior roles at top technology companies. It’s also true, however, that pursuing an MSCS requires a considerable investment of not only money but also time and energy\u2014and that the ROI of this degree can change based on factors such as format, curriculum<\/a> and university reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may be that the question you should be asking yourself is not ‘Is a computer science master’s worth it?’ but rather is a specific computer science master’s program worth it. An MSCS on your resume can improve your prospects. An MSCS from Case Western Reserve University can empower you to tackle real-world challenges with today’s technology and then pivot as discoveries in computer science change the employment landscape. As you research computer science master’s programs, think about what kind of impact you want to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Why is computer science so important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Computer science is part of almost every industry, from transportation and manufacturing to education and financial services. Agriculture uses algorithms to increase yields. Doctors and nurses use digital decision support systems to diagnose patients. Nearly everything humans do in the developed world now involves computers in some way. We pay for goods and services using digital wallets. We stash our groceries in WiFi-enabled refrigerators and drive connected cars. We trade stocks, track our health and even order our morning coffee using apps. “Not everything can be digitized,” management expert Hermann Simon told the audience during the 2017 Digitize like a Champion event, “but everything that can be digitized will be.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Computer science speeds technological advancement, and technological advancement leads to innovation in computer science. So while there’s already considerable demand for computer science professionals such as software engineers, systems analysts, security engineers and computer architects, there’s also plenty of room for growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts the demand for computer scientists<\/a> will increase by 15% in the coming decade, but that doesn’t tell a complete story. Consider that demand for database professionals<\/a> will grow by 10%. Demand for software developers<\/a> and software engineers will grow by 22%\u2014a figure representing more than 300,000 new computer science jobs<\/a>. All told, employers will create a staggering 500,000 new jobs for computer and information systems professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the importance of this discipline goes beyond what technology can do for people. Computer science also plays a significant role in the economy. For every new tech job created in a region, employers in that region create five jobs<\/a> in professional and non-professional sectors outside of technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Why earn a master’s degree in computer science?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Innovation and demand are driving rapid job creation<\/a> in tech so the employment outlook<\/a> in computer science is strong. It’s better, however, for professionals with master’s degrees. Many people think of Big Tech as a sector in which skills are more valuable than education, but the statistics don’t bear that out. About a quarter of all software professionals have master’s degrees nationwide<\/a>. That figure is probably higher in Silicon Valley, Boston, New York and emerging tech hubs<\/a> where master’s degrees are commonplace<\/a>. You may soon need a graduate degree in computer science or another tech discipline just to stay competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most graduate-level computer science programs teach hard skills and programming languages, but computer science is a rapidly evolving field and automation is changing how organizations hire for high-tech roles. Employers increasingly look for a mix of hard and soft skills in computer science professionals because more jobs, as the Strada Institute’s Robot Ready<\/a> report puts it, “combine the technical with the human: programming + ethics, AI + emotional intelligence, or logic + judgment.” Graduate programs such as Case School of Engineering’s Online MSCS help students develop not only advanced technical skills related to algorithms, theory, artificial intelligence, databases and data mining, but also human skills such as communication, intellectual flexibility, teamwork, leadership and persistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, there’s the wage premium associated with master’s degrees in computer science. The ROI of the MSCS versus a bachelor’s degree in computer science\u2014covered in greater detail below\u2014is substantial. When Forbes<\/em> ranked graduate degrees by salary increase<\/a>, the MS in Computer Science came in second. Master’s degree holders in technology and computer science jobs out-earn their peers by tens of thousands of dollars ($104,000<\/a> versus $87,000<\/a>) each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>What are the highest-paying jobs for computer scientists who have earned a master’s?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Top-paying computer science jobs tend to be those with senior, director or principal in the title\u2014in other words, roles usually filled by professionals with significant experience and advanced credentials such as the Master of Science in Computer Science. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n