
PhD in Computer Science – Economically Irresponsible? - john-wat-son
I am a software engineer. I am licensed by the state, I work on critical systems, and I am always looking for ways I can learn and be better at my job to keep people safe and happy. A natural progression of self improvement for me, having worked so long in the industry, is to seek out instruction in an academic setting - which makes graduate work with the eventual goal of a doctorate in this field a very attractive option.<p>But I am also a man with personal responsibilities. The same skill-set that I wish to hone is the one that is netting me six figures of salary each year.<p>Why, then, would I sacrifice years of wages to gain training and a title that would likely never yield a financial return close to what was lost during that time?<p>I cannot imagine I am the only person with this dilemma, so I would like to hear others opinions on this problem.<p>Shall I spread the instruction over the next decade, and hope that nothing in my professional or personal life interrupts it? Or just bite the bullet and dedicate myself to my own education - wealth and responsibilities be damned?
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vinaypai
Depends on what your motivation is. If your goal is to maximize your job
prospects or financial outcome, it's probably not a good idea unless you are
interested in going into academia or research.

If you want to spend a few years of your life immersed in an environment with
smart people working on interesting problems, go for it.

Getting a PhD in Computer Science was a great experience for me, but it's not
for everyone.

