Is a Master's in CS Worthwhile?

Graduate School
1

Hey there, I am a second-semester junior at a large state-school in Tampa called “University of South Florida”. I am pursuing a Bachelor of Computer Science, and I’m starting to think about going to grad school. I noticed that Harvard doesn’t seem to have a Master of Computer Science degree program, and MIT seems to pair their MSCS degree with a PhD program, which I wouldn’t be interested in. I’d guess there are plenty of good MSCS degree programs around the world, but I’d like to know if this isn’t the case, as suggested by my limited research. Also, if you don’t mind, I would like to know if any of you have considered going to grad school for computer science (anywhere in the world), whether you chose to go, and if you regret your choice.

Information about myself:
GPA: 4.0 (with 90 credits)
GRE: N/A (I haven’t taken it)
Interships: I’ve held a CS internship for past five months.
Why USF?: I’ve lived 15 minutes away from USF my entire life, and I wasn’t ready to leave home (or my cats).
Recommendations: I haven’t started asking professors, yet. But, I don’t usually connect with them in my classes, so I’m not expecting much.

2

What is your end goal for earning a MSCS?

3

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MIT seems to pair their MSCS degree with a PhD program, which I wouldn’t be interested in.
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The question is, CAN you go to MIT in the first place?

4

Stanford, UChicago, and UIUC have professional CS masters programs, just to name a few.

But yes, you should answer for yourself why you would pursue that, first.

5

As a fellow MS in CS grad school applicant, here’s why it is worthwhile for me:

  • As an International, getting a Master’s means better luck in the H1B (visa) lottery.
  • I study at a 150+ ranked state school, and I will get into top CS programs (profile: 4.0/4.0 GPA, great GRE, research and TA experience.) This means the job/research opportunities available to me will be CONSIDERABLY better. Moreover, there’s a very high chance I might get funded during my studies, so no money issues.
  • Top companies that offer entry-level positions typically prefer graduates from top schools (personal experience).

In general:

  • In the future, when the demand for tech jobs is ridiculously high and in case there’s a financial recession, people with Bachelor’s degrees might be the first to get booted, or a Master’s degree might be the minimum requirement to get a good job in the highly saturated market.
  • Master’s graduates typically receive a higher starting pay than people with Bachelor’s degrees, although not everywhere in the industry and not by very much.
  • Master’s/PhD degrees are absolutely required if you want to join the industry in specialized roles such as Data Scientist.
6

You really don’t need a MS in your case. Save your money. Heck, some employers will pay for it later. Experience is much more important, so keep up with the internships.

7

I suggest that you finish your BS, work for a while and then decide if a Masters will help you in your career. It is not absolutely necessary to have an MS if you have a BS from a university that is known to US employers. If you start work right away, you will begin earning, getting experience and perhaps your employer might even pay for you getting an MS later on.