Nick Taylor

Professor Chen
5/4/2016
Great Paying Jobs for Computer Science Majors
Behind every degree, there is most likely a reason for pursuing it. Maybe its an undying
passion for the field youve chosen. Possibly its the only thing youve ever known how to do.
For many in this day in age its because of money, and the potential to earn a whole lot of it. In
the field of Computer Science this is a major possibility, and there are some select positions
that will fill your bank account quicker than others.
One of the higher paying jobs you can potentially snag right out of college would be
Software Developer. Software Developers are often tasked with creating customized software
solutions for use within their own company, or more likely for another company to use. These
software solutions could include providing an agency with coding programs, web services, user
interfaces, databases, and more. This position has a very nice median salary of 116k
(www.payscale.com), with the potential to reach the 150k area with multiple years of
experience and expertise.
If you are more into providing security to the assets you and your company create, then
maybe aspiring to be a Security Architect is more down your ally. Generally, this position is all
about providing top notch security systems for the employees of your company, or even for
another company to use. Once a project is undertaken, the first step is to plan out a basic

design for the type of system needed such as which features should be included and which can
be done without. Acting as a type of project leader, the Security Architect will then usually put a
team of programmers to work. These programmers will each focus on a piece of the eventual
final product. Once everything is completed, the Security Architect will be the one to oversee
the combination and implementation of the system. They will also rigorously test the final
product to ensure that everything is working as intended. The average median pay for this
position is around 114k, however, with about five or more years of experience one could see
their salary rising to the 160k area.
If nothing about being a Security Architect appeals to you except for the testing of the
final product part, then perhaps the position of Quality Assurance Director is suitable to your
needs. This is especially the case if you are extremely detail oriented. These professionals
search for any kinds of bugs or errors that may be present in many types of software
applications. They might work alone, in teams, or they could even use the general public for
beta tests of certain products to gather any results they could provide. Quality Assurance
Directors will utilize the upmost methodical approach to test products, and might even create
their own certain list of criteria for future tests. The average median salary for this profession
sits around the 130k area and, once again, with years of experience under your belt this can
potentially reach the 170k area.
For those with ambition as their top quality, all previously mentioned jobs may have
already been dismissed as attaining the position of Chief Information Officer was the main goal
all along. Reserved only for the extremely passionate and devoted, this position provides high
satisfaction, (about 64 percent according to www.cio.com), as well as high pay. Modern day

companies rely heavily on continually building, maintaining, and upgrading their technological
framework. In large organizations these tasks are usually ran by the CIO. Making decisions such
as which types of IT equipment is required, how it will be integrated into the company as a
whole, and when it should be upgraded is part of the CIOs job. Maintaining good relationships
with clients and other mutually beneficial businesses is a must, as well as providing exceptional
leadership skills to the employees of their company. The CIO must be a technologically adept
individual with a deep understanding of modern communication and information systems, and
should be continually building upon that knowledge. Those able to reach this position will be
seeing an average of about 150k coming in per year. Of course this will vary extremely from
company to company, and can reach the 200k range easily.
While its said that money isnt everything and that it doesnt have the ability to buy you
happiness, its still incredibly useful and enticing. So much so that some people will spend their
entire lives working at a job that only provides satisfaction when the paycheck arrives. This is no
way to spend an entire working career and should be avoided if possible. What should be
pursued is a well-paying job that lies within your own interests and passions. That being said, if
your passions include computer sciences and information technology then youre in for a real
treat. Computer science professions are on the rise. According to the latest 10-year Bureau of
Labor Statistics projections, computer systems design and related services are among the
top three growth industries with an expected increase of (38.3%). With opportunities
opening up, businesses expanding, and technology progressing, skilled professionals are
needed all across the nation. And these businesses are willing to pay to get them.

Works Cited
"Best Jobs For Computer Science Majors by Salary Potential." Best Jobs For Computer Science
Majors. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016. < www.payscale.com >
"Job Growth Projections." www.luc.edu. N.p., n.d. Web.
Levinson, Meridith. "CIOs' Job Satisfaction Increases Despite Recession." CIO. N.p., 21 Aug. 2009.
Web. 05 May 2016.