I'm a CS major who's about to graduate. I love programming, and do projects in my spare time. I've completed internships at multiple startup companies. However, I've found web development work boring, and want to do something different. I applied into some master's programs, and was accepted. I have some scholarships for the masters program and no debt, so money is not a problem for me.
But I also feel a little burned out about school. I can do the two years, but I don't know if I'll be happy doing it. I know I'm never going to want to go for a phd.
Those who got a master's degree: what value did you get from it? Did you get it straight out of undergrad? What did you focus on? What jobs has it opened up for you?
Programmer P1 got a BA in English, worked a few years in sales, doing programming as a hobby. P1 then got a tech support job, and got serious about learning programming on the side. P1 landed an entry level web developer job, and gradually worked from that to more and more serious programming, changing companies a few times. At the current time P1 is a senior level programmer/architect after about 15 years in the business.
Programmer P2 got a BSCS, and a job as a programmer for a few years. P2 then went to back to school for that MS in CS, and then got a new job, and then another, and so on. Eventually, P2 is working at the same company as P1, same job title and responsibilities, also after about 15 years in the business.
P1 and P2 are doing the same job at approximately the same level of proficiency, with about the same amount of experience, and similar knowledge and ability. What's the difference?
P2 is 6 years younger and makes $15K more per year.
In my experience, knowledge gives you ability, but diplomas give you marketability. If you know now that programming is what you want to do, having both is better than just one.
For a corporate programmer, whether you go straight to the MS or get some work experience first, doesn't much matter in the long run. If a PhD and research and teaching are your future, don't wait, get degrees ASAP.