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How lucrative is a career in Computer Science?

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  • 01-10-2020 11:03am
    #1
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭


    I'm going to do a Bachelors in CS in a private university for four years. I thought that a journalism degree while great if you become successful, is a really difficult field to break into.

    So I'm going for computer science. I know it has a high dropout rate and I'm prepared to do work at home.

    Once I graduate, how difficult will it be to find employment? I've seen that the U.S. pays software developers well but I'm very put off by the sociopolitical climate of America and that would be the last place I go to. What about Switzerland, Australia?


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    #2
    youcancallmeal
    Registered Users Posts: 7,989 ✭✭✭youcancallmeal


    Look at glassdoor to get an idea of average salaries, for example Software Developer is 45k average in Dublin. That's just one role you might get into after completing a Computer Science degree. I couldn't tell you how difficult it is to find employment as a graduate, I'm way past that stage of my career. As for work abroad it's a very general question and there's no telling what the job market in Switzerland or Australia will be like by the time you've got a degree and built up enough experience. One thing that should probably go without saying is don't bother with Computer Science unless you have an interest in it. This is why the dropout rate is high and even if you did struggle through it you will find it hard to keep up with the ever evolving tech industry.


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 11,614 ✭ [Deleted User]


    mr_fegelien wrote: »
    I'm going to do a Bachelors in CS in a private university for four years. I thought that a journalism degree while great if you become successful, is a really difficult field to break into.

    So I'm going for computer science. I know it has a high dropout rate and I'm prepared to do work at home.

    Once I graduate, how difficult will it be to find employment? I've seen that the U.S. pays software developers well but I'm very put off by the sociopolitical climate of America and that would be the last place I go to. What about Switzerland, Australia?


    Have you a genuine interest in computers? Have you done any programming?


    I know people who breezed through CS but they had quite a bit of experience already. I didn't do CS, but I wrote my first program in C at the age of 14.



    If you've not done any programming yet, I suggest you do some code academy courses and check do you actually like it


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    #4
    Rikand
    Registered Users Posts: 20,342 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    If you're good at coding it's extremely lucrative.

    If you're rubbish at it, does the idea of a career in the civil service sound appealing to you ? ;)


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    #5
    nedkelly123
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭nedkelly123


    its very lucrative.. if you are good and talented ,engage in community etc ,you could expect 70 k after 5 years
    more if you go contracting .. i have friends getting 450 per day .. with no shortage of work
    im daily rate in a place the last 7 years on 370 per day..prob could get more elsewhere but i like it here


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    #6
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭mr_fegelien


    nedkelly123 wrote: »
    its very lucrative.. if you are good and talented ,engage in community etc ,you could expect 70 k after 5 years
    more if you go contracting .. i have friends getting 450 per day .. with no shortage of work
    im daily rate in a place the last 7 years on 370 per day..prob could get more elsewhere but i like it here

    What do your friends do? I'm learning Java at the moment.


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    #7
    nedkelly123
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭nedkelly123


    c# , react , mvc , they are working in sharepoint and dynamics 365


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    #8
    OMM 0000
    Registered Users Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    The people who do computer science for the job opportunities tend to hate it and wished they were doing something else.

    You only get one life, so spending most of it doing something you aren't good at or dislike is hell.

    I love computer science and I've been in this industry for over 20 years.

    It's a HUGE area and your employability depends on what your skillset it.

    For example, a C programmer who does embedded stuff, although this is some of the hardest work it's one of the lower paid and there are fewer opportunities. On the other hand a full stack javascript guy, which is not difficult and full of bull****ters, is probably the most in demand and the money is good. I work in senior management but I still do full stack javascript stuff on the side as I can earn about EUR 200 per hour.

    Programming isn't for most people (they can't do it and they hate it) so there's the world of networking and security. These jobs tends to be a bit more sociable and they're "easier" although (for example) the security world is so large and so continuously evolving that you need to constantly learn and adapt.

    And that's a "problem" with the computer science world in general. Remember I told you I have over 20 years experience? I still read a few computer science books every month. There is continuous learning. You cannot just do a degree and that's it. You have to keep buying books and keep reading them. Right now I'm reading a C network programming book and a risk analysis book. Up next is a reverse engineering book and a linux API book. It is never ending. I like this stuff so it's fine, but imagine if you hated it?

    Be really sure computer science is for you.

    Look into product manager (business analyst) and project manager roles. They may suit you.


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    #9
    salonfire
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭salonfire


    youcancallmeal wrote: »
    Look at glassdoor to get an idea of average salaries, for example Software Developer is 45k average in Dublin.

    That can't be accurate is it?

    Hardly worth the effort that a CS degree needs if that is the average pay in Dublin. Software Development is the better paid discipline as well. Others - BA, Sys Admin, etc would probably pay even lower.


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    #10
    Fr Tod Umptious
    Registered Users Posts: 15,048 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    I was going to reply with some other information that I thought might be helpful but then I saw who the OP was and left it at this.


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    #11
    youcancallmeal
    Registered Users Posts: 7,989 ✭✭✭youcancallmeal


    salonfire wrote: »
    That can't be accurate is it?

    Hardly worth the effort that a CS degree needs if that is the average pay in Dublin. Software Development is the better paid discipline as well. Others - BA, Sys Admin, etc would probably pay even lower.

    Other sites have the average even lower, dunno where they are getting their data from though. The average matches with my experience as a Software Dev but it's been nearly 10 year since I worked in a role like that.


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    #12
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »
    I was going to reply with some other information that I thought might be helpful but then I saw who the OP was and left it at this.

    How does his account information show zero threads started when he started this one.


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    #13
    belfe
    Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭belfe


    IT here, agree with the averages mentioned previously. After 5-6 years in DEV, you can get 70k, you can even reach 100k if you're specially good at it and if you are in the right place on the right time.

    About Java or what language... this is one of the biggest issues here. I can tell you that today the best idea would be Java and associated frameworks or python, also a bit of cloud (better AWS), but in four years nobody knows. You need to be continuously learning new things, and if you don't, then you're out, that's the reason many people leave after some years.Also we don't know if in 5-6 years AI will overtake our jobs. Google's AI is starting to be very good at programming. So, if you're not truly passionate about computers, think about it twice. It is a very good job if you like playing with new technologies and new ways to do things.

    * I'm talking about DEV because it was my choice and I don't really know that much about other areas, but in QA (automated) you've got similar salaries and similar issues, with the difference that, for some reason, there are more DEV hating their jobs than QA doing the same. I'd never recommend sys admin because all the programmers hate sys admins (joke, but the reality is that I wouldn't recommend sys admin, less pay, continuously on-call...)
    Once I graduate, how difficult will it be to find employment?

    You mentioned Switzerland, there is plenty of IT jobs there, and also in Germany/Netherlands. But moving abroad without experience could be an issue, the first IT job is the hardest to find. It would be better to start 6-12 months in Ireland, that BTW is the EU country where is easier to find an IT job. After that, basically you can move to any country.


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    #14
    Notmything
    Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭Notmything


    Private university ? Have you won the lotto?

    A few months ago you were begging for money off strangers online and looking for medical card

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=114297419


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    #15
    bobbyy gee
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,306 ✭✭✭bobbyy gee


    It's not about the money

    Enjoy the work


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    #16
    colm_c
    Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭colm_c


    salonfire wrote: »
    That can't be accurate is it?

    Hardly worth the effort that a CS degree needs if that is the average pay in Dublin. Software Development is the better paid discipline as well. Others - BA, Sys Admin, etc would probably pay even lower.

    Not accurate in my experience.

    40k is average for a grad these days.

    So maybe if there are a lot of grads it brings the average down.

    Anyone with experience and has moved jobs in the last 2 years is getting well paid.

    Key here is moving jobs regularly. Every 2-3 years you either need to move up or out.

    If you stay at the same company it is likely that your salary will stagnate.

    Range of salaries for a software developer in Dublin is 40-150k+

    Top end are roles at Google/MS/Facebook/Fintech.

    A lot of devs tend to to hit a ceiling at ~100k


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    #17
    A2LUE42
    Registered Users Posts: 2,533 ✭✭✭A2LUE42


    Notmything wrote: »
    Private university ? Have you won the lotto?

    A few months ago you were begging for money off strangers online and looking for medical card

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=114297419

    or doing voiceovers

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=114792985

    :rolleyes:


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    #18
    thomas 123
    Registered Users Posts: 2,631 ✭✭✭thomas 123


    OP what is the private university your considering? I am looking to up skill in that area myself.

    Also from my experience look closer at what you can do with certain languages, CS degrees can be super broad and what you specialize in will be what makes the difference between being paid the average wage and the rockstar day rates.


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    #19
    SVI40
    Registered Users Posts: 598 ✭✭✭SVI40


    A2LUE42 wrote: »
    or doing voiceovers

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=114792985

    :rolleyes:

    Maybe they will get better answers here?

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1008


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    #20
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭mr_fegelien


    bobbyy gee wrote: »
    It's not about the money

    Enjoy the work

    You need enough money not to be on the streets.

    Money may not make you 100% happy but being broke can make you 100% miserable.


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    #21
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭mr_fegelien


    Notmything wrote: »
    Private university ? Have you won the lotto?

    A few months ago you were begging for money off strangers online and looking for medical card

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=114297419

    Mummy and Daddy are paying.


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    #22
    bobbyy gee
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,306 ✭✭✭bobbyy gee


    no carreer in Ireland is lucrative you need to go to usa


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    #23
    Irish_rat
    Registered Users Posts: 2,554 ✭✭✭Irish_rat


    mr_fegelien wrote: »
    You need enough money not to be on the streets.

    Money may not make you 100% happy but being broke can make you 100% miserable.

    Disagree 100% on that.


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    #24
    Jim2007
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,036 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    bobbyy gee wrote: »
    no carreer in Ireland is lucrative you need to go to usa


    Rubbish. You can earn better money in Switzerland working less hours for example. In thirty years I've never worked more that 20 hours OT per year and that was normally paid out at 200%.


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    #25
    Tij da feen
    Registered Users Posts: 598 ✭✭✭Tij da feen


    Just to add here. There's IT jobs out there that aren't Software Dev. DBA, Data engineers, Data Analysts, DevOps, Networking, Systems etc...

    The 40k average is definitely off for software dev. I was making 50k in an enterprise tech support role in Cork before I moved to a Business Intelligence role.


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    #26
    Oranage2
    Registered Users Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Oranage2


    No need to do a 4 year degree unless you really like it. Try an online course, plenty of free ones, and do a boot camp, usually last 3-6 months, then you're well on your way to being a developer


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    #27
    OMM 0000
    Registered Users Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    Oranage2 wrote: »
    No need to do a 4 year degree unless you really like it. Try an online course, plenty of free ones, and do a boot camp, usually last 3-6 months, then you're well on your way to being a developer

    Usually a crap developer though.

    We stopped hiring these bootcamp guys because (a) they only have a superficial understanding of things and (b) the bootcamps brainwash people into thinking they're great, so they end up not realising how little they know.

    But I agree with your general point of trying it before commiting to 4 years.


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    #28
    TuringBot47
    Registered Users Posts: 991 ✭✭✭TuringBot47


    Oranage2 wrote: »
    No need to do a 4 year degree unless you really like it. Try an online course, plenty of free ones, and do a boot camp, usually last 3-6 months, then you're well on your way to being a developer

    Rubbish.
    Most companies won't even look at your CV without a degree.
    Search the adverts on irishjobs.ie for a java developer to see.
    They'll either say a degree or X years of experience.


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    #29
    Oranage2
    Registered Users Posts: 11,128 ✭✭✭✭Oranage2


    TuringBot47 wrote: »
    Rubbish.
    Most companies won't even look at your CV without a degree.
    Search the adverts on irishjobs.ie for a java developer to see.
    They'll either say a degree or X years of experience.

    So the only way to get into development is to do a CS degree? Now that's rubbish!

    If you had proper comprehensive skills you could see that I wrote a boot camp can get you on your way to a developer job. Start low, work hard on your coding and gain that experience.


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    #30
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭mr_fegelien


    Oranage2 wrote: »
    So the only way to get into development is to do a CS degree? Now that's rubbish!

    If you had proper comprehensive skills you could see that I wrote a boot camp can get you on your way to a developer job. Start low, work hard on your coding and gain that experience.

    But the way I look it at it, the job market has become so competitive that employers can chose to be picky. A self taught developer is probably as good as one that has gone to college but there are certain things the self taught one is unlikely to know and they want to weed out any chances of hiring someone who isn't up for it so they'll almost always go for someone with a CV.

    It's the same thing with having a criminal record. Someone could be the best degree in the world and have a record but 99 times out of 100 companies will interview hundreds of others who have the same degree but no record.


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    #31
    GarIT
    Registered Users Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭GarIT


    Oranage2 wrote: »
    So the only way to get into development is to do a CS degree? Now that's rubbish!

    If you had proper comprehensive skills you could see that I wrote a boot camp can get you on your way to a developer job. Start low, work hard on your coding and gain that experience.

    You writing it doesn't make it true, hopefully that's easy enough for you to understand after you didn't get it the first time.


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