Computer Science

Types of Degrees Computer Science Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer science graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	14,364
Doctor’s Degree	1,252
Graduate Certificate	197

What Computer Science Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to compsci were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for CompSci Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in compsci should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for CompSci Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to compsci:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for CompSci Majors

As you progress with your compsci degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Computer Science Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with compsci:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Computer and Information Research Scientists	19.0%	$118,370
Computer and Information Systems Managers	12.0%	$142,530
Computer Network Support Specialists	8.2%	$62,770
Computer Science Professors	8.1%	$82,220
Computer Systems Engineers/Architects	9.3%	$90,270
Document Management Specialists	9.3%	$90,270
Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists	9.3%	$90,270
Information Security Analysts	28.5%	$98,350
Search Marketing Strategists	9.3%	$90,270
Software Developers, Applications	30.7%	$103,620
Software Developers, Systems Software	11.1%	$110,000
Software Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers	9.3%	$90,270
Web Administrators	9.3%	$90,270
Web Developers	14.9%	$69,430

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Computer Science?

This is one of the most frequently chosen graduate majors. It is the 17th most popular in the country with 14,354 students graduating with a master’s in compsci in 2021. This major tends to be male dominated. About 70% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of compsci majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1,328
Black or African American	231
Hispanic or Latino	312
White	2,028
International Students	9,914
Other Races/Ethnicities	551

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in CompSci. About 69.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• India
• China
• Saudi Arabia
• Nepal
• South Korea

How Much Do Computer Science Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a master’s degree in compsci have a median salary of $98,509 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $80,910 (25th percentile) and $110,698 (75th percentile).

It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to compsci.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $89,580 to $114,000 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to compsci. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Computer Science

Some careers associated with compsci require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for compsci careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.3%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	2.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	6.1%
Some College Courses	4.9%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	9.0%
Bachelor’s Degree	57.3%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	4.3%
Master’s Degree	11.2%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.7%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.1%
Doctoral Degree	4.4%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.2%

Online Computer Science Programs

In 2020-2021, 997 schools offered a compsci program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	23	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	278	20
Bachelor’s Degree	32	9
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	275	27
Post-Master’s	7	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	117	3
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	1	1
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Computer Science Worth It?

The median salary for a compsci grad is $96,200 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 141% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,126,000 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Computer Science

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to compsci.

Major	Number of Grads
Computer Information Systems	20,748
Information Technology	10,754
Information Science	6,934
Computer Software & Applications	4,047
Computer Systems Analysis	817
Computer Systems Networking	720
Computer Programming	490
Other Computer & Information Sciences	443
Data Processing	205

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Negative Space under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.