Computer science is one of the broadest fields you can get into. Because of this, many graduates get confused when choosing a career path in this field because there are so many to choose from. The good news is that once you know your passions, you can pick from one of the many software, computer, and technology fields available to computer science graduates. Below, we will look at some of the most common career options in this field.
Software Engineers
Not to be confused with software developers, software engineers design systems and applications that are used by businesses, companies, and organizations, their jobs mainly involve researching the best ways of meeting the software news of the organizations they work for and then developing, optimizing, and designing plants to create the solutions these organizations need.
Because of how many approaches there are to software engineering, software engineers will often end up handling a myriad of tasks and responsibilities. The good thing about this career option is that software engineers work in numerous industries, many of them choosing tech companies or corporate offices.
Because of how complex the tasks they handle are, many computer science graduates working as software engineers will often go for an advanced degree to gain the advanced knowledge and skills they need to thrive in software engineering. With a computer science degree, software engineers can join the online master’s computer science program at Baylor University to gain the advanced computer science knowledge and skills they need to take their careers to the next level.
Software Developers
Software developers are involved in the actual development and testing of software that is used by the organizations they work for. They can analyze user needs and research various solutions to ensure their clients end up with the best software for their needs.
In many cases, clients might require that software developers have an additional degree so that they understand the intricacies of the industries they work for better. For example, many software developers who work in the pharmaceutical industry have training and experience in the pharmaceutical world. This training and experience help them understand the needs of the clients in this sector better.
Web Developers
Web development is not the first option for many computer science graduates. Many choose to venture into other roles, but web development can be very lucrative if you find the right niche. Web development is the designing and writing of code that creates the websites we visit and use every day. Web developers create the formatting and layout, ensuring websites not only look beautiful but that they are also fast and performant.
It includes using tools like HTML CSS and JavaScript to create websites, although advanced web developers will use tools like Ruby, Python, and PHP to create websites for their clients. Because web developers often work to bring a client’s vision to the web, they work closely with clients and have to understand how businesses work.
Companies will hire web developers who are fresh out of college and those with certifications from boot camp. However, clients who have complex projects or are looking to create complex web experiences will often hire web developers with computer science degrees.
Data Science
Data has become one of the most valuable commodities in today’s world. Companies are always looking for people to help them analyze and understand the data they collect so they can use it in various ways. Data scientists create predictive models and algorithms that help them perform highly complex data analysis in numerous industries and businesses.
Data scientists will often work with other professionals including business leaders to ensure their analysis produces positive results. Because of how valuable data has become, data science is a growing field. There is high demand for data scientists, but not enough data scientists to go around. Having a computer science degree, especially an advanced degree gives you the skills you need to fill these gaps.
Information Security Analysis
Seeing how valuable data is, it is not a surprise that there are malicious third parties who are looking to penetrate systems to get this data through nefarious means. In some cases, these bad actors breach data systems for corporate espionage or ransom. To prevent this, businesses must take their security very seriously.
Information security analysts plan and put in place the best security measures to protect their client’s networking infrastructure, including computer networks and various systems. This is one of the roles in computer science that requires a degree. There are also lots of cybersecurity courses coming up, but experts still maintain that information security analysts require a computer science degree, preferably a master’s degree.
Database Administrators
This is another computer science role that has to do with data, specifically data storage. Every organization must ensure all its data is stored properly and that it can be retrieved later. Database administrators are responsible for making this possible.
Database administrators, also called DBAs, create and maintain the databases organizations need. They ensure these databases are as efficient as possible. In addition to a computer science degree, DBAs are also required to have in-depth knowledge of common database systems and software, as well as database languages like SQL. They also need to possess strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Lastly, DBAs are also expected to be good at working under pressure because when an organization cannot function because a database is down, they are the people who get called.
Network Architect
A network architect designs network systems that connect the various equipment, computers, and servers in an organization. Network architects are so sought-after because they are responsible for data transfer within and outside the organization they work for. Additionally, network architects design the wireless local area networks that are used in many offices.
Although they are often called in to design new networking architecture, they can also be called in to update existing networking plans or even advise clients on the way forward when they want to install new networks.
As you can see, there are numerous career options to choose from if you have a computer science degree. The good news is that they are all related, so it is relatively easy to switch from one to the next. Do note that some of these careers require specialized knowledge and advanced degrees.