{"id":315,"date":"2018-01-03T10:03:56","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T10:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/"},"modified":"2020-06-26T10:03:24","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T16:03:24","slug":"majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Majoring in Computer Science: Is It for Me?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Mulling over a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/college-search\/search-by-major.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">possible undergrad major<\/a> can be one of the most daunting tasks as you wrap up your high school years. One field that won&#8217;t be disappearing anytime soon: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/search\/schools?searchtype=12&amp;page=1&amp;result=15&amp;searchterm=computer%20science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">computer science<\/a>, which offers promising prospects on the 21<sup>st<\/sup>-century landscape. Here, what to look for if you&#8217;re considering this tech-focused major.<\/p>\n<h2>What is computer science anyway?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mceTmpl\">\n<aside class=\"floated-cta left\">\n<h5>Find Computer Science Programs<\/h5>\n<p>Interested in computer science? Find the perfect match today using our advanced <a href=\"\/search\/schools?searchtype=12&amp;page=1&amp;result=15&amp;searchterm=computer%20science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">search tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p>Computer science is everything underlying the design, construction, and use of the computers that have become ubiquitous in our lives. This includes, but isn&#8217;t limited to, computing theory, programming, and performance analysis of both hardware and software, and scientific computing. To work in computer science, desirable skill sets include problem-solving, creativity, critical-thinking skills, attention to detail, and stick-to-it-iveness\u2014it may take several times before you crack that algorithm to bring your project to full fruition, for instance.<\/p>\n<h2>What&#8217;s the course of study for a computer science major?<\/h2>\n<p>Expect, naturally, a course load heavy in math and science, though specific electives will vary depending on what track you take. Programming, computer operations and systems, statistics and probability, data structure, and theory are likely to be part of the core curriculum, as will calculus and physics.<\/p>\n<p>So what are the benefits of pursuing a major in computer science?<\/p>\n<h2>Advantage No. 1: job prospects and salary<\/h2>\n<p>Computer science is a rapidly growing field with plenty of prospective paths you can take once you get your degree. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/search\/schools?searchType=26&amp;searchTerm=computer%20science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Grad school<\/a> is always an option, but if you&#8217;d prefer to jump right into the workforce, options for computer science majors seem nearly limitless\u2014and some of these jobs are among the best-paying. STEM candidates in general are in high demand, and computer science in particular can lead you to such careers as software developer or operations research analyst, both of which are expected to have a &#8220;much faster than average&#8221; growth rate through 2026 and median salaries that approach or exceed six figures.<\/p>\n<p>Some other common, well-paying careers you can enter with a computer science degree under your belt include:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 IT consultant<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Computer engineer<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Data or business analyst<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Games developer<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Web designer\/developer<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Bioinformatics scientist<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Software engineer (the most in-demand title in Silicon Valley at the moment)<\/p>\n<p>But these days, nearly every job sector involves computer technology in some capacity, and that&#8217;s only likely to increase as we become ever-more reliant on computers in our day-to-day lives.<\/p>\n<h2>Advantage No. 2: You&#8217;ll always be on top of the newest tech innovations and fields<\/h2>\n<p>Because computer technology changes by the minute, you&#8217;ll need to keep up with the most cutting-edge products and services\u2014but that also means you&#8217;ll always be at the forefront of what&#8217;s happening in your field. And, as we dive deeper into the 21<sup>st<\/sup> century, emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and cybersecurity can offer exciting career opportunities that will make you feel like you&#8217;re working in a world that used to only exist in science-fiction movies.<\/p>\n<h2>Advantage No. 3: You&#8217;ll be able to pick from an ample variety of employers, industries, and locations.<\/h2>\n<p>You may nab a job with a big-name company that will boost your resume: &#8220;Legacy&#8221; brands like Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Apple are always on the lookout for qualified candidates, and newer tech firms like Airbnb and Uber are also now on the hunt.<\/p>\n<p>Because technology has now become integral to most of how we live and work, however, you don&#8217;t necessarily have to head out to Silicon Valley to find a plum opportunity. Seattle, DC, San Francisco, and the North Carolina Research Triangle are all prime areas now for computer science\u2013related jobs, as are smaller cities like Austin, Texas. If living the &#8220;incubator&#8221; life out West isn&#8217;t for you, make sure your skills are up to speed and look locally\u2014your dream job may lie in wait closer than you think.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, because computers are everywhere, you don&#8217;t have to limit yourself to a strictly &#8220;tech&#8221; field when searching for a job with your computer science major. You&#8217;ll find opportunities in a variety of areas, including health care, education, government, and journalism, among others.<\/p>\n<h2>Advantage No. 4: You can help effect positive change in the world.<\/h2>\n<p>Imagine helping design or program computer software that can protect civil liberties by keeping data safe, streamline scientific research, or keep cybercriminals at bay. There&#8217;s no greater satisfaction than completing a day&#8217;s work in which you know you&#8217;ve put your hard skills and imagination to work making the world a better place.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mulling over a possible undergrad major can be one of the most daunting tasks as you wrap up your high school years. One field that won&#8217;t be disappearing anytime soon: computer science, which offers promising prospects on the 21st-century landscape. Here, what to look for if you&#8217;re considering this tech-focused major. What is computer science<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13139,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[417],"class_list":{"0":"post-315","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-colleges","8":"tag-computer-science"},"better_featured_image":{"id":13139,"alt_text":"","caption":"","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":4288,"height":2848,"file":"2018\/01\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819.jpg","sizes":{"medium":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-300x199.jpg","width":300,"height":199,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-300x199.jpg"},"large":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-1024x680.jpg","width":1024,"height":680,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-1024x680.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-150x150.jpg"},"1536x1536":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-1536x1020.jpg","width":1536,"height":1020,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-1536x1020.jpg"},"2048x2048":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-2048x1360.jpg","width":2048,"height":1360,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-2048x1360.jpg"},"post-thumbnail":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-270x180.jpg","width":270,"height":180,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-270x180.jpg"},"contentberg-main":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-770x515.jpg","width":770,"height":515,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-770x515.jpg"},"contentberg-main-full":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-1170x508.jpg","width":1170,"height":508,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-1170x508.jpg"},"contentberg-slider-stylish":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-900x515.jpg","width":900,"height":515,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-900x515.jpg"},"contentberg-slider-carousel":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-370x370.jpg","width":370,"height":370,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-370x370.jpg"},"contentberg-slider-grid-b":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-554x466.jpg","width":554,"height":466,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-554x466.jpg"},"contentberg-slider-grid-b-sm":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-306x466.jpg","width":306,"height":466,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-306x466.jpg"},"contentberg-slider-bold-sm":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-150x150.jpg"},"contentberg-grid":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-370x245.jpg","width":370,"height":245,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-370x245.jpg"},"contentberg-list":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-260x200.jpg","width":260,"height":200,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-260x200.jpg"},"contentberg-list-b":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-370x305.jpg","width":370,"height":305,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-370x305.jpg"},"contentberg-thumb":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-87x67.jpg","width":87,"height":67,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-87x67.jpg"},"contentberg-thumb-alt":{"file":"blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819-150x150.jpg"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":315,"source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819.jpg"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Majoring in Computer Science: Is It for Me? - Peterson&#039;s<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One field that won&#039;t be disappearing anytime soon: computer science, which offers promising prospects on the 21st-century landscape.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Majoring in Computer Science: Is It for Me? - Peterson&#039;s\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One field that won&#039;t be disappearing anytime soon: computer science, which offers promising prospects on the 21st-century landscape.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Peterson&#039;s\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/petersons\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-01-03T10:03:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-06-26T16:03:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"4288\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2848\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Staff Writer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Petersons\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Petersons\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Staff Writer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Majoring in Computer Science: Is It for Me? - Peterson&#039;s","description":"One field that won't be disappearing anytime soon: computer science, which offers promising prospects on the 21st-century landscape.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Majoring in Computer Science: Is It for Me? - Peterson&#039;s","og_description":"One field that won't be disappearing anytime soon: computer science, which offers promising prospects on the 21st-century landscape.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/","og_site_name":"Peterson&#039;s","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/petersons","article_published_time":"2018-01-03T10:03:56+00:00","article_modified_time":"2020-06-26T16:03:24+00:00","og_image":[{"width":4288,"height":2848,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Staff Writer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Petersons","twitter_site":"@Petersons","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Staff Writer","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/"},"author":{"name":"Staff Writer","@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/de16a60c2d4cd725a73b140f92aea013"},"headline":"Majoring in Computer Science: Is It for Me?","datePublished":"2018-01-03T10:03:56+00:00","dateModified":"2020-06-26T16:03:24+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/"},"wordCount":757,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819.jpg","keywords":["computer science"],"articleSection":["Colleges"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/","url":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/","name":"Majoring in Computer Science: Is It for Me? - Peterson&#039;s","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819.jpg","datePublished":"2018-01-03T10:03:56+00:00","dateModified":"2020-06-26T16:03:24+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/de16a60c2d4cd725a73b140f92aea013"},"description":"One field that won't be disappearing anytime soon: computer science, which offers promising prospects on the 21st-century landscape.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/26100309\/blur-close-up-code-computer-546819.jpg","width":4288,"height":2848},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/majoring-in-computer-science-is-it-for-me\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Colleges","item":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/category\/colleges\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Majoring in Computer Science: Is It for Me?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/","name":"Peterson&#039;s","description":"Peterson&#039;s helps students discover their best fit educational program","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/de16a60c2d4cd725a73b140f92aea013","name":"Staff Writer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd9c661dc63a23028d5b76bd26c9c6beecfe3494df61794bcf6e8778b00a6a7e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd9c661dc63a23028d5b76bd26c9c6beecfe3494df61794bcf6e8778b00a6a7e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd9c661dc63a23028d5b76bd26c9c6beecfe3494df61794bcf6e8778b00a6a7e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Staff Writer"},"url":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/author\/brian\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=315"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13140,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315\/revisions\/13140"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=315"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=315"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}