With high rates of unemployment and low levels of employee hiring, it’s no secret that the job market is a difficult one for aspiring workers these days. In most lines of work, from construction to business and from education to retail, low profits and rising expenses have forced rounds of layoff and have made it difficult for new people to enter the industry.
But at the same time, there are certain jobs that remain “recession-proof.” Most of these fall generally into one of two fields. The first field is healthcare, which is growing rapidly due to medical advancements and an aging American population. Universities and Top Accredited Online Colleges are further producing healthcare practitioners in numbers no higher than in the past, meaning that the market for such workers is far from saturated. So what’s the second most recession-proof industry? Studies repeatedly point to the technology sector, specifically in the areas of computer programming and software engineering.
According to research compiled by Forbes, Business Week, and GetRichSlow.com, computer science careers are some of the most stable, available, and altogether recession-proof. Pay scales are also higher than in most lines of work. While the average college graduate with a humanities degree can be expected to earn around $35,000, assuming that they can find employment in the first place, a computer science major can stand to make over $55,000 in starting pay. This number often rises into the $85,000 range after just a few years of work.
This is all good news for tech-savvy students who might be interested in working in a programming capacity. But being tech-savvy alone is usually not enough to land the job these days. Employers want to see capabilities but they also want to know that you possess credentials – in short, that you have a degree in computer science or a highly related field.
So if you envision your future in programming or software engineering, now is the time to insure that you get the proper degree. Fortunately, the growing number of accredited online schools out there makes it easy to receive that degree in a cost-efficient, timely, and flexible manner. But keep in mind that not all online degrees are created alike. On this note, let’s take a look at five of the top online degrees for computer science:
1. Everest University Online, Bachelor’s in Computer Information Science
Everest brings a strong pre-professional approach to its computer science classes with the goal of training students for careers as programmers, operators, and network administrators. It does this by bringing a business and publishing focus into the classroom, and insuring that students are well-versed in areas ranging from microcomputers to spreadsheets.
2. Colorado Technical University, Doctor of Computer Science in Computer Science
The Colorado Technical University program strives to develop students who can think strategically and methodically about any computer science issue. More so than its peer schools, the computer science degree offered here places a strong emphasis on research and in writing, in the process giving it a more scholarly and academic focus.
3. Regis University Online, Bachelor’s in Computer Science
The computer science degree offered through Regis University can be taken fully online, fully in the classroom, or through a combination of the two. This program specifically prepares students for careers in systems analysis, design, and management information systems. Its courses are well-suited for those students who envision themselves someday holding both a managerial and engineering position.
4. American Sentinel University, Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Software Development
For those who seek a broad-based program that provides them for a range of entry-level programming positions, American Sentinel University’s Computer Science and Software Development degree is one of the best options out there. The degree fully instructs students in all the basics and details of C++ programming.
5. Colorado State University Online, Master’s in Computer Science
The Master’s program in Computer Science at Colorado State is designed for those students with prior experience in the computer programming field. It focuses on teaching more complex issues such as network algorithms, data structures, and advanced software design. Instruction is provided by the same highly-regarded professors that teach offline courses at the school’s campus.
The above list reflects five of the best online computer science programs out there. If you’re a tech-savvy person looking to enter one of the strongest fields of work out there, it’s certainly worth your while to check out these programs and see if any of them are right for you.