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Masters in CS?
5 points by Dilpil on Sept 24, 2009 | hide | past | favorite | 3 comments
Is getting a Masters in CS worth it? What if you have a BS in CS? What if you have a BS in Math or Engineering?



Define "worth it"? Do you mean will it make you more money in the long run? Probably not. It does have some advantages, depending on the career path you choose. The opportunity cost of staying in school for another 2 years while your friends are in the work force, gaining experience and making contacts, should not be taken lightly.

Here's my experience:

I have a BS in Software Engineering, and an MS in Computer Science. The MS helped to open doors for me right out of school, but most of the companies that I targeted had staffs where MS and PhD were the norm. Also, I had a very focused specialty during my MS (mobile development), and this helped me land a great first gig out of school. If you do the MS route, I recommend finding something that you can truly focus on during that time.


The answer to this question almost completely hinges on what you want for yourself. What are your career goals? What is your current education? Do you feel any educational deficiency or are you comfortable with your status? Do you have the financial means currently?


From my experience, it won't help you get a job...I've personally seen candidates with masters' degrees in CS get turned down in favor of self-taught programmers at a large profitable internet company.




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