Computer! An essential part of this universe. Technology plays a vital role in all of our lives. We cannot imagine the 21st century without computers. This urge of computers has increased demand for people who can manage it.
Due to this increase in demand! Many students are now adopting computer science as their major. They do adopt computer science, but many don’t even know what career options they have further.
In this blog, we are going to discuss various career paths for computer science majors.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 11% growth for computer and IT occupations from 2019 to 2029.
But, let’s not directly jump onto various career paths. First, we will learn about computer science as a field.
What is computer science?
Computer science is a tool that helps students to create, not just consume. It is a theory and practice of making a computer do what you want it to do.It is a theory and practice of making a computer do what you want it to do. Computer science applies principles of:
- Mathematics,
- Engineering, and
- Logics.
It includes the formulation of algorithms, development of software & hardware, and artificial intelligence.
Now that we know about computer science. Let’s dig into various computer science degree jobs.
JOBS!!
Let’s see! What are career paths for computer science majors?
- SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
Software developers handle designing and building computer programs. Some of them develop new applications for mobile or desktop use. Others develop basic operating systems.
A software developer:
- Identifies user needs.
- Builds programs.
- Tests out new softwares.
- Make improvements.
| Hard skills required | Soft skills required | |
| ASP.NET | Communication | |
| JavaScript | Teamwork | |
| Java | Problem-solving | |
| C# | Attention to detail | |
| Python |
An average salary of a software developer is around $80,500 per year.
- SOFTWARE TEST ENGINEER
The role of a software test engineer is to equalize the process. It is done
for analyzing software programs. Those processes include:
- Creating and executing testing methods.
- Recording the test results.
- Providing recommendations to improve software programs based on results.
The duties of a software test engineer are:
- Collaborating with organizational management to streamline operations.
- Utilizing programming languages to create testing scripts.
- Documenting software testing procedures.
- Evaluation of the organization’s technical system for security issues.
- Teamwork for the development of software programs.
- Interfacing with end-users.
| Hard skills required | Soft skills required | |
| Basic knowledge of database/SQL | Analytical skills | |
| Basic knowledge of Linux commands | Communication skills | |
| Knowledge of a test management tool | Time management & organization skills | |
| Knowledge of any defect tracking tool | Optimistic | |
| Knowledge of automation tool | Passionate |
An average salary of a software test engineer is around $84,000 per year.
- SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
These are the experienced employees of the organization. They take the lead in projects related to software development.
Senior software engineers:
- Determine organization’s needs.
- Find feasible solutions to problems.
- Create plans for the development of a software solution.
They do a strong analysis of data collected during the software testing phase. They highlight any problems that arose during the software development phase. Once the software has been developed, they make sure it functions well.
| Hard skills required | Soft skills required | |
| Computer programming & coding | Problem solving skills | |
| Software development | Communication skills | |
| Object-oriented designing | Teamwork | |
| Software testing & debugging | Organizing meetings |
An average salary of a senior software engineer is around $98,000 per year.
- SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
A software development manager outlines. He operates and coordinates all activities related to writing software programs.
He must be familiar with guidelines, practices, and technical matters. Software managers initially are software developers. They gain this position through company loyalty.
The duties of a software development manager are as follows:
- A software development manager manages all group activities.
- He sets achievable goals for team members work can be done on time.
- He guides team members to increase work productivity.
- He monitors the time of a particular project done by the team.
- He represents the software department in meetings.
| Hard skills required | Soft skills required | |
| Programming languages | Interpersonal skills | |
| Data structure and algorithms | Written & verbal communication skills | |
| Databases | Multitasking | |
| Operating system | Teamwork |
An average salary of a software development manager is around $115,000 per year.
- SOFTWARE ARCHITECT
As the name itself defines, a software architect is a designer. A software architect is very much similar to a project manager.
They lead a team of developers. They create and assign project tasks. They also deal with clients to ensure solutions to their problems.
The duties of a software architect are as follows:
- Finding the requirement of the project to determine the best standards or tools.
- Simplifying the whole project into smaller steps.
- Ensuring that the project proceeds on time.
- Communicating the business’ needs with the team.
- Checking the code for bugs.
- Ensuring the adaptability and flexibility of the product.
| Hard skills required | Soft skills required | |
| Knowledge of software and code | Communication & listening skills | |
| Understand all aspects of project | Visionary | |
| Create the project’s roadmap | Creative & innovative | |
| Organizational skills | Leadership skills |
An average salary of a software architect is around $116,000 per year.
- SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR
A system administrator is also known as a sysadmin. They help to fix computer server problems.
They construct, install, and support a firm’s computer systems.
Their work includes:
- Local area networks (LANs).
- Wide area networks (WANs).
- Network segments.
- Intranets.
- Other data communication systems.
| Hard skills required | Soft skills required | |
| Networking | Problem solving skills | |
| Cloud | Enthusiasm | |
| Automation & scripting | Good communication | |
| Security & monitoring | Patience | |
| Hardware management | Organised mind | |
| SQL | Technical mind |
An average salary of a systems administrator is around $62,900 per year.
Conclusion
Computer science is a very vast and complex sector. Although, it is a challenging short to play. Still, many students are choosing computer science as their major. Even after choosing CS in their colleges, they don’t know career choices in it. In this blog, we have discussed a few career paths for computer science majors. Despite having so many career choices, we have discussed a few important ones here.
