August 09, 2004
Posted by Foreign Correspondent Skates (Toronto) at 8:21 AM
CS Majors Down
USA Today is reporting that Computer Science majors are dropping in U.S. colleges.
Nationwide data aren't available. However, last year, the number of newly declared computer science and computer engineering majors in the USA and Canada fell 23% vs. the year before, says the Computing Research Association, a college trade group. The figures aren't expected to improve this year.Blame the bleak tech job market. In the past, a computer degree meant "instant riches, or at least a well-paying, secure job," says San Jose computer science chair David Hayes. "Now, the perception is jobs are going overseas, and people are being laid off."
You'd have to be insane to spend $100K on a CS degree today.
Comments
It sounds like some of these kids are starting to get a clue, but I think that today's CS students would be better served by talking to some of us grizzled veterans about what really awaits them in the job market. With the perverse level of specialization and the threat of overnight obsolescence, it's really more crap shoot than career.
Posted by: Mike at August 10, 2004 02:50 AMPost a comment