<p>Do rankings of computer science programs really matter, and would it be worth it to travel for a better but not top tier program? Also, do master's degrees make a big difference in this field?</p>
<p>I ask because I live in Pennsylvania and I'm thinking about attending the University of Pittsburgh, but I see that there computer science program isn't really high in the rankings. Could I get a good education and job by going there regardless, or should I shoot for higher ranked colleges like U of Michigan, U of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Georgia Tech, or U of Texas at Austin? If Pittsburgh is sufficient, would I benefit from going to Carnegie Mellon or something for my master's degree, or would my bachelor's degree serve me just fine?</p>
<p>A CS degree from Pitt is fine. People on CC might pay attention to rankings, but most hiring managers don’t.</p>
<p>Going to grad school isn’t necessary to get a job. You’ll be just as employable with a Bachelors and two years of experience as someone with a Masters and no experience. </p>
<p>Any other input? Once you factor out low tier schools and high tiers like CMU, MIT, and Stanford, does it matter which middle of the road school you go to when talking about job and salary quality? I’m sure getting a job wouldn’t prove impossible, but what is the difference in career opportunities?</p>
<p>Pitt is a good school. With a CS degree from there or any other solid CS program has the potential to put you into a well-paying programming job, without the need for grad school.</p>
<p>You are just applying for undergrad this year, right? So are you talking about doing a 5 year MS program at Pitt? I think it is too soon to worry about your MS.</p>
<p>Yes, and no I am not considering getting my MS at Pitt. If I were to get my MS, which I’m not sure if I should, I would try to get it at a top tier computer science school. I’m just trying to think ahead a bit</p>