What can you do with a Computer Science degree ?

In this article, we have explored in depth how your career will proceed if you take up a Computer Science degree. There are over 30 high paying job titles and is one of the most demanding job profiles today.

Table of contents:

1. Computer Science Degree
2. What can you do with a Computer Science degree ?
   • Software Developer
   • Computer Scientist / Researcher
   • Technical Writer
   • Hardware Architect
   • IoT developer
   • UX designer
   • IT Consultant
   • Bioinformatics scientist
   • Product Manager
   • Cloud engineer / Network Architect
   • Games developer
   • Information security analyst
   • Cybersecurity manager
   • Digital forensics specialist
   • Robotics engineer
   • Machine learning engineer / Data Scientist
   • Database Administrator
   • Multimedia Programmer
   • Systems Analyst

Computer Science Degree

There are 4 types of Computer Science degrees:

• Associate Degree
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) / Bachelor of Technology
• Master of Science (MSc)
• PhD

What can you do with a Computer Science degree ?

When you go through the job profiles one holding a Computer Science degree can take up, you will quickly realize that even the low entry barrier job profiles in this field are paid significantly higher than other fields.

If you want a secure and well paying job, the key is to get a Computer Science degree and keep your skills upto date.

With a Computer Science degree, you can take up the following jobs:

• Software Developer
• Computer Scientist / Researcher
• Technical Writer
• Hardware Architect
• IoT developer
• UX designer
• IT Consultant
• Bioinformatics scientist
• Product Manager
• Cloud engineer / Network Architect
• Games developer
• Information security analyst
• Cybersecurity manager
• Digital forensics specialist
• Robotics engineer
• Machine learning engineer / Data Scientist
• Database Administrator
• Multimedia Programmer
• Systems Analyst

Software Developer

Software Developer is the most common role that a candidate holding a Computer Science degree takes up. The annual pay is significantly higher compared to other professions and average salary.

The role involves implementing ideas in a specific Programming Language, testing / benchmarking software applications, formulate steps to solve a software problem and much more.

The number of vacancies for Software Developer is high though the eligible candidates remain low as a good hold on Programming is required.

• Median Annual Salary: $89,190
• Specialization: None needed
• Work: Programming, Benchmarking, Testing, Designing
• Minimum degree: B.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Google, Facebook, Amazon
• Entry barrier: Low (due to large number of vacancies)

Computer Scientist / Researcher

Computer Scientist is the most competitive and highest paying role that a candidate holding a Computer Science degree target for. Usually, candidates holding PhD is preferred and the output of work is mostly in form of Patents and Research Papers.

Several Computer Scientists at the top of their field earn well over $800K annually.

• Median Annual Salary: $126,830 (see details)
• Specialization: Any specific sub-domain
• Work: Design new techniques, Analyse problems, File patents
• Minimum degree: M.Sc (PhD preferred)
• Top Companies hiring: Google, Microsoft, Facebook
• Entry barrier: High

Technical Writer

Technical Writer is the most relaxed role a candidate holding a Computer Science degree can expect to hold. In Software Development companies, Technical Writer are expected to handle documentations, research papers and blog posts on the Company's technical progress.

Technical Writer hold a place to Publishing Companies as well where they author books on various Computer technologies.

A decent hold on basics of Computer Science and ability to explore new technologies following documentation is necessary.

• Median Annual Salary: $74,650
• Specialization: English or other Language
• Work: Write documentation, papers and blog posts
• Minimum degree: Associate
• Top Companies hiring: Google
• Entry barrier: Moderate (as job openings are less)

Almost all Software Development companies have a few openings for Technical Writer. Anyone with a Computer Science degree but does not have good hold in the domain can find a Technical Writer position.

Hardware Architect

Hardware Architect position is similar to Software Developer position in terms of entry requirements. Hardware Architect mainly focus on designing, developing and testing different components of the Computer like processor.

• Median Annual Salary: $119,560
• Specialization: Computer Architecture, Electronics
• Work: Design, Develop, Test Computer Components
• Minimum degree: B.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Intel, AMD, NVIDIA
• Entry barrier: Moderate

This is one of the highest paid entry level jobs in the domain of Computer Science.

IoT developer

IoT developer is responsible for developing software so that different hardware components interact with each other. IoT as a field is on the right with the products of IoT getting traction in the general public.

IoT developer is a position that several students of Computer Science desire to work in. The entry barrier is high as the entry level courses like B.Sc or Associate does not impact enough knowledge to work on IoT. This field requires a high level of practical work.

• Median Annual Salary: $94,050
• Specialization: Internet of Things, Computer Networking
• Work: Design and Develop IoT components
• Minimum degree: M.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Cisco, ARM
• Entry barrier: Moderate

UX designer

UX designer or a Web Developer is one of the most demanded job positions and also, one of the easiest to fulfil. An UX designer designs websites along with complete frontend.

Recently, products have started putting a lot of focus on User Experience and this domain has taken off since then.

• Median Annual Salary: $77,200
• Specialization: Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Web Development
• Work: Design websites, Analyse user behaviour
• Minimum degree: B.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Behance, Dribbble
• Entry barrier: Low

All companies hire UX designers while website development companies hire UX designer as the majority work force.

IT Consultant

IT Consultant is the entry level job that aim to assist other developers resolve problems, help in minor work (like benchmark) and assist customers resolve problems they face while using a software.

Though this job outlook may look naive but it is one of the most hiring profile. Over 38% of empolyees in the Industry are consultants. Often IT Consultants are temporary jobs and are promoted to a permanent job like Software Developer.

• Median Annual Salary: $66,400
• Specialization: None
• Work: Assist developers, Advice customers
• Minimum degree: Associate
• Top Companies hiring: Accenture, Infosys
• Entry barrier: Low

Among Computer Science students, there is an overall negative perception of this job profile but this is the Industry standard and is a good entry point in the field if other job profiles are not available.

Bioinformatics Scientist

Bioinformatics scientist is a competitive job profile in this field. Candidates are expected to conduct independent research in the field of Bioinformatics and hence, Computer Science Graduates need to have a Bioinformatics specialization. PhD candidates are most preferred yet some M.Sc graduates can secure a job in this profile.

• Median Annual Salary: $104,210
• Specialization: Bioinformatics
• Work: Solve problems in Biology
• Minimum degree: M.Sc (PhD preferred)
• Top Companies hiring: DNAnexus, Genedata,
• Entry barrier: High

This job is on the intersection of Computer Science and Biology and is on the rise.

Product Manager

Product Manager is a job profile where the person is expected to set a direction of a team and manage the work of individual Software Developers. In general, Software Developers reach this position upon multiple promotions or hold MBA degree.

• Median Annual Salary: $151,150
• Specialization: None
• Work: Manage team, Develop work plans
• Minimum degree: B.Sc (with experience) or MBA
• Top Companies hiring: Google, Apple
• Entry barrier: High

The entry barrier of this position is high as rarely candidates get this position as their first job. Usually, it takes over 10 years of work experience for B.Sc holders to reach this position.

Cloud Engineer / Network Architect

Cloud Engineer / Network Architect has been the most popular job profile in 2010s when Cloud Computing was on the rise. Candidates should have a specialization in Cloud Computing or Computer Networking.

• Median Annual Salary: $116,780
• Specialization: Cloud Computing, Networking
• Work: Design and develop Cloud applications
• Minimum degree: M.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform
• Entry barrier: Moderate

Game Developer

Game Developer is an exciting job profile for Computer Science enthusiast. Though the median salary of Game Developer is almost same as Software Developer, several Game Developers are known earn as much as Computer Scientists. This is due to the rise of the Gaming Industry. The demand of good Game Developer is high.

• Median Annual Salary: $88,100
• Specialization: Game Development, Computational Geometry
• Work: Design and develop games
• Minimum degree: M.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Nintendo, Epic Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Entry barrier: Moderate

Information security analyst

Cybersecurity is on the rise and Information security analyst is the entry point. Candidates having B.Sc degree in Computer Science with major in Cybersecurity can easily secure a job in this profile.

The entry requirements are same as in Software Development role yet the salary is much higher.

The role of Information security analyst is to analyze Computer Network for loopholes and fix them. One should defend the Network of client companies.

• Median Annual Salary: $103,590
• Specialization: Cyber Security
• Work: Analyze and maintain software security
• Minimum degree: B.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Palo Alto Networks, McAfee, Hillstone Networks
• Entry barrier: Moderate

Cybersecurity Manager

Cybersecurity Manager manages a team of Cybersecurity Engineers and take cybersecurity decisions for a technology company.

• Median Annual Salary: $151,150
• Specialization: Cyber Security
• Work: Manage team of cybersecurity analysts
• Minimum degree: M.Sc / MBA or B.Sc with experience
• Top Companies hiring: Palo Alto Networks, McAfee, Hillstone Networks
• Entry barrier: Moderate

Digital forensics specialist

Digital forensics specialist work with the Crime Department and Investigators to collect cyber evidence from computing devices and network activity. This is a respected high-profile job.

Even though the field requires competitive skill in parallel to Information security analyst, the pay is much less as the majority of the jobs in this profile is provided by the Government sector.

Other job profiles in Computer Science are provided by Private Sector so the pay is relatively high.

• Median Annual Salary: $60,590
• Specialization: Cyber forensics
• Work: Work with criminal cases, collect cyber evidences
• Minimum degree: M.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Government, FBI
• Entry barrier: Moderate

Robotics engineer

Robotics engineer work on designing innovative robots, test them in different situations and ensure safety around robotic devices.

• Median Annual Salary: $56,000
• Specialization: Robotics
• Work: Design robotic components, implement software and testing
• Minimum degree: M.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: NVIDIA, KUKA Robotics Corporation, NASA
• Entry barrier: Moderate

Machine learning engineer / Data Scientist

This is one of the most demanded job profiles. Machine learning engineer work on optimizing deep learning models, train models for various applications and much more.

• Median Annual Salary: $76,000
• Specialization: Deep Learning, Machine Learning
• Work: Design data science approaches, implement models, test
• Minimum degree: M.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Google, Facebook, Netflix
• Entry barrier: Low

Database Administrator

Database Administrator plays a critical role in maintaining and designing database of large organizations. They work with users and Data Analysts to make efficient use of database.

• Median Annual Salary: $52,000
• Specialization: Database management
• Work: Design database designs, maintain scalable databases
• Minimum degree: B.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Oracle, IBM
• Entry barrier: Low

Multimedia Programmer

Multimedia Programmer works on designing various multimedia tools that are used with software products in wide range of use cases. They play a critical role in demonstrations and game designing.

• Median Annual Salary: $60,000
• Specialization: Multimedia, game design
• Work: video editing tools
• Minimum degree: B.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Canva
• Entry barrier: Low

Systems Analyst

Systems Analyst works on organizing and maintaining the hardware infrastructure of a large organization.

• Median Annual Salary: $59,000
• Specialization: Linux adminstration
• Work: System Management
• Minimum degree: B.Sc
• Top Companies hiring: Accenture, Verizon, IBM
• Entry barrier: Low

With this article at OpenGenus, you must have the complete idea of the wide range of opportunities in Computer Science.