Computer science tops list of best major for jobs

[Admin Khan]

Computer science graduates now get more offers of employment than any other major. This is the first time since 2008 that computer science has topped the list: previously, accounting majors had the highest offer rate.In 2011, 56.2% of computer science majors received job offers, compared to only 53.8% of accounting majors. The offer rate for computer science majors increased 13.8% this year from the previous year.A reason for the high demand for computer science and accounting majors is because both are needed in many different industries. “There are many different companies that need to hire computer scientists," said Mimi Collins, director of communications at the National Association of Colleges and Employers."They aren’t tied to one particular industry—majors like nursing do not enjoy that benefit."Although this is good news for computer science grads, it might not be very good news for the computer industry. According to Collins, “One computer science graduate may have 10 offers as opposed to one accounting graduate that’s getting five offers.” So, computer science majors may be getting more offers, but this is only because there is a shortage of people who graduate with such a degree.*According to Collins, companies like to hire recent computer science graduates because they have the latest skills, though this is the same for many other majors, too.“Things change very quickly, especially in computer science," said Collins. "Because they have been taught the latest skills, this makes them appealing. Many organizations have a formal track where they want to bring in new college graduates and train them the way they want them to be trained.”Annabelle Evans graduated as a computer science major from the University of Southern California in 2008. “I got four different job offers while my friends in other majors weren’t getting any,” she said. “When I picked my major, I knew there wouldn’t be a lack of jobs as a computer scientist, and that was part of the appeal.”


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