Job prospects for computer science graduates
With skills that can be applied to virtually every industry, graduates with master’s degrees in computer science are in high demand, with the number of new jobs only expected to grow in the coming years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this growth can be attributed to further adoption of cloud computing by businesses of all sizes and increased use of IT services in health care settings.
Overall, computer and information technology jobs are expected to grow 12 percent between 2018 and 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual wage in the field is also higher than the average of all other occupations—$88,240 compared to $39,810, as of May 2019.
In fact, of the 20 occupations that are projected to add the most jobs between 2018 and 2028, applications software developer ranked sixth, adding 241,500 jobs in that span—a growth rate of 26 percent. With high demand comes higher salaries; median pay in 2018 was $103,620.
Information security analyst jobs are projected to grow 32 percent over the same time period, adding 35,500 positions.
Below is the BLS outlook for computer and information technology jobs:
| Occupation Title | Projected Growth | New Jobs | 2019 Median Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | 9% | 56,000 | $90,920 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 12% | 46,972 | $152,860 |
| Information Security Analysts | 32% | 35,500 | $99,730 |
| Network & Computer Systems Administrators | 5% | 18,200 | $83,510 |
| Database Administrators | 9% | 10,500 | $93,750 |
| Computer Network Architects | 5% | 8,400 | $112,690 |
| Computer & Information Research Scientists | 16% | 5,200 | $122,840 |
Computer and information systems managers, with an average salary of $142,530, are among the highest-paying occupations overall—16th in the country, according to the BLS, in a list dominated by medical professionals.
Colorado School of Mines awarded 24 master’s degrees in computer science in 2019. The average salary offer for that group was $92,625, with a high of $112,000 (view the Career Center Annual Report). Mines has consistently been highly ranked for return on investment.
Mines graduates with advanced degrees have gone on to work in a range of industries for companies such as Google, Chevron, Raytheon and BlackSky.
