The Computer Science job outlook: Myths and Truths

Myth:

If you major in Computer Science you can't find a job.
All the jobs are gone, or have moved to India

Truth:

Computer Science is one of the fastest growing job fields
Simultaneously, enrollment is down, because folks believe the myth
Result: for those who do choose Computer Science, prospects look very good.

Say What? How can you know for sure?

Someone else has told you that Computer Science is a lousy field to go into, and I'm telling you the opposite. Your future depends on you making the right decision. Why should you believe me over those other folks?

Good question. No one can guarantee what will happen in the future, and it is entirely possible that I could be wrong.

However, if you are interested in Computer Science, and have a talent for it, and are choosing not to major in Computer Science only because you've been told that job prospects aren't good, you owe it to yourself to read the links below, then decide for yourself.

Read this, then decide for yourself

CNNMoney.com quotes an ACM study as saying that "Despite all the publicity in the United States about jobs being lost to India and China, the size of the IT employment market in the United States today is higher than it was at the height of the dot.com boom".

[Thanks to Keith Decker for pointing out this article.]
CNN.con and CareerBuilder.com published a list of "What some fastest-growing jobs pay".

They listed ten jobs, with salaries ranging from $60,880 up to $81,140, all of which were "on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' list of the fastest growing jobs through 2014". [Thanks to Li Liao for pointing out this article.]

Of the ten jobs listed in the article, five of them were jobs for which a Computer Science degree would be great preparation:
- Computer Systems Software Engineer
- Computer Applications Software Engineer
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Database Administrator
- Network Systems and Data Communication Analyst

An opinion piece from ComputerWorld explains "Why Good Technologists Are Hard to Find". Author Robert L. Mitchell writes that "IT has gotten a bad rap that hurts its reputation as a top-notch career path".

[Thanks to Keith Decker for pointing out this article.]
An article from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports strong growth in Washington state's software sector. Bill Gates is reportedly "concerned that waning interest in computer science among college students would create shortages of qualified employees in the United States."
Two articles from monster.com about the decline in the number of students pursuing CS. With fewer students entering the field, it stands to reason that the prospects are better for those who do.
- Comp-Sci Slump: Growth Ahead? Tech Execs Encourage Computer Science Majors.
  - "Despite offshoring, much of the most interesting work will be done here."
- Computer Science Slump: College Enrollments in the Field Decline Nationwide
  - "You want to go into a field because you think you're going to enjoy it, not for glitzy or glamorous reasons."
According to an article on CNet News.com, the hiring season for job seekers looks sunny. Many companies are having trouble filling positions.

[Thanks to Dave Saunders for pointing out this article.]

But what about this?

Quote from BLS web site's assessment of the software publishing industry: " Growth will not be as rapid as it was during the technology boom of the 1990s, however, as the software industry begins to mature and as routine work is increasingly outsourced overseas."
- Ok. But balance that against this quote from earlier in the same paragraph: " Wage and salary employment is expected to increase by 68 percent between 2004 and 2014, almost five times the 14 percent growth projected for all industries combined." [emphasis added]. The growth of the software industry during the dot.com boom was absurd and unsustainable. We are looking now at more sustainable, reasonable growth that is still five times better than the overall job picture!

Your feedback is welcomed

If you have

suggestions of additional links to articles about the CS job market, or
suggested answers to common arguments cited for and against going into CS
other questions or comments on this page,

then I would like to hear from you.

Send your comments to chester at udel.edu with the subject line "CS Jobs"

This page originally created by P. Conrad, Last Updated: 06/27/2007