<p>I'm planning to major in CS but I heard that comp sci graduates barely get jobs. one of my teachers said that he has a friend who has a masters in CS but cant find a job and had to drive a taxi instead. I'm really interested in comp sci but if that is the case I'm going to have to change my major. Can someone tell me if that is true or false? If possible, I would like proof.</p>
<p>Did you even bother using Google</p>
<p>Yes I did. Some places it said that jobs are growing while in other places it stated the opposite</p>
<p>Link me to what you found</p>
<p>Everyone can pull any particular unemployed person out of a hat right now, with unemployment improving but still high. We don’t know about the teacher’s friend’s grad degree and where it is from, or his undergrad degree is in CS or not, and if he had any prior experience, all which can make a difference. In all, I’d say your teacher is really wrong about this. I know that my daughter is still in grad school for CS but is frequently tempted by the high paying internships and opportunities she has.</p>
<p>You can help your chances of landing a job by doing an internship or even research activities during your summers.</p>
<p>The best place to look for job outlook and salary information is the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. Software developers are well paid and those jobs are expected to grow 30% between 2010 and 2020.
[Software</a> Developers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Computer-and-Information-Technology/Software-developers.htm]Software”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Computer-and-Information-Technology/Software-developers.htm)</p>
<p>Computer programers have a more average growth outlook but good pay.
[Computer</a> Programmers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm]Computer”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm)</p>
<p>Database administrations have a positive growth outlook and good pay.
[Database</a> Administrators : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm]Database”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm)</p>
<p>And so on with Systems Analyst, Security administrator, network administrator and on and on with job categories that you can do with an undergrad CS degree.</p>
<p>The overall business in technology is in a growth cycle right now but it fluctuates frequently. My sister is in the industry and has been through many boom or busts but has always hung onto a high paying job despite knowing a lot of friends who had to go work at home depo from time to time. The industry, like many, is ageist as well and you can find yourself having a hard time landing a job if you worked for the same place a long time and it goes bust when you are in your 40 or 50’s. It is important to keep your skills and networking up but you can say that about a lot of businesses.</p>
<p>If you have skill and affinity for math and programming, and many people do not as it isn’t an easy major, then it sounds like a good area for you.</p>
<p>Sometimes a CS grad could be narrow-minded in their job selection. They might have used all of their electives to specialize in some “niche” area but many times, those niche areas feel the impact of a bad economy.</p>
<p>The following is my own personal opinion of being in software engineering 20+ years, but MOST software jobs will relate to the manipulation (programming), distribution (networks) and storage/retrieval (databases) of DATA. Well, there are your MUST-HAVE CS electives: Databases and Computer Networks. Add to the fact that ALL 3 areas need to run over an operating system pretty much tells where most of the jobs are in:</p>
<p>Programming - C++, Java, Ruby, C#
Databases - Oracle, SQL Server, Hadoop, Data Modeling, Data Warehousing
Networks - Network design, administration, information assurance
Operating Systems: Deep knowledge of Unix/Linux or Windows</p>
<p>Sometimes, one may have to take a job in above areas UNTIL that artificial intelligence or graphics or gaming or quantum computing job opens up.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Note that this also tells you what the key CS courses are:</p>
<p>Programming: introductory CS sequence, algorithms and complexity, exposure to several types of programming languages (may be assumed in the introductory CS sequence, or given in a programming languages course), software engineering course or other course with large software project
Databases: database course
Networks: networks course
Operating systems: operating systems course</p>
<p>Another thing not mentioned here is security and cryptography, which appears to be neglected by many, as evidenced by all of the security advisories and patches in common software that come out frequently. Knowledge in that can put you ahead of most in that area.</p>
<p>Note that computer gaming and other popular specialties all need the above, so the CS electives for those specialties (graphics, artificial intelligence, etc.) should be considered as possible courses beyond the above courses.</p>
<p>What’s is the starting salary if you get a job with a BS right out of college?</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/1121619-university-graduate-career-surveys-5.html#post16559971[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/1121619-university-graduate-career-surveys-5.html#post16559971</a></p>
<p>However, the job markets may change over the next several years.</p>
<p>Thanks so much</p>