Transmittal

From: Ian Stopa

Subject:
Date: 7/20/2019

The report written here discusses the importance of Computer Science and how it is developing
rapidly in our society. With its rapid development our education institution should construct a
program for students in order to prepare them for this new field of study.

What will be discussed is the job outlook for graduates in the coming years, and what expected
pay a graduate can get when working these jobs. We will also look at what type of jobs a
graduate will be able to do and what the jobs entail them to do. We will also take a look at the
career path differences between Computer Infomation Systems (CIS) and Computer Information
Technology (CIT), and how we should really incentivise students for the complete Computer
Science (CS) degree.

With the information here I hope to inform potential students about the opportunity that we can
offer them and how it will impact their futures for the better.

COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM

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2019 Career Outlook Report

College of DuPage Student

Ian Stopa

Report Distributed July 24, 2019

Prepared for
James Okrasinski, English 1105-HYB05

Abstract
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What I will discuss here is the degree of Computer Science as a whole. Some of the topics will
include why Computer Information Systems and Computer Information Technology are
something that a student should not end their education at. What kind of career is involved with
computer science and what the job requires of the graduate and how their environment will be
like throughout their career. We also want to inform the potential student on how much money
the tuition will cost them for the degree, but also give them the amount that they will be able to
earn with a Computer Science degree.

Table of Contents
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ABSTRACT Page 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Page 4
INTRODUCTION Page 5
EDUCATION CIT/CIS VS CS Page 6
COST AND PAY Page 7
CAREER GROWTH AND DUTIES Page 7
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Page 10
REFERENCE Page 11

Executive Summary
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Students need to have information regarding Education, Cost and Pay, and Career
Growth/Duties in order to make a decision on if they are interested in our program, can they pay
for it and what they get out of it themselves.

The Education we should push for is a 4 year Computer Science Degree. We can offer
Associates in Computer Information Systems and Computer Information Technology which I
recommend would be a more proper route for those types of degrees. Because there are also 4
year degrees concerning Computer Information Systems and Technology, but if a graduate has
a Computer Science Degree than it is assumed by the employer that the student has knowledge
in Computer Information Systems and Technology. The Computer Science degree is more
versatile in the workforce and would highly benefit the student throughout their professional
career.

The cost of what other educational institutions charge varies depending on the degree.
● The 2 year Associate degree for the Computer Information Systems and Technology
degrees have an average of $20,784 a year for tuition and $41,568 for the full 2 years.
● For a Computer Science degree the average is $41,992 and for the full 4 years is
$167,968.
Now I know we are a community college, but I believe we can partner with other schools in the
area to reduce costs of the 4 year degree to give the potential student that is on our Associate
route to go down the Bachelors route because we could offer a financially more acceptable rate
for them. Considering the versatility of the Computer Science degree I believe the students will
be more motivated to engage in our program. Add the fact that a Computer Science graduate
has the median income levels at $103,620 with the lowest 10% earned less than $61,660 and
the highest 10% earned more than $161,290 are numbers sure to make them intrigued.

The last thing that a student wants to know is Career Growth and Duties. The growth of
Computer Science is high but is divided into categories such as software development which is
projected to grow 24% from 2016 to 2026, Application developers to grow 31%, Database
Administrators 11%, and Web Developers at 15%. Resulting in job security for the student and
as long as they like programming then they will be successful.

I believe this results in our institution having a strong program and the ability to capitalize on the
growing market of Computer based careers in the future.

Introduction
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The report shall give you an overview of what a Computer Science degree is and what it entails
for the student. This is meant to give a potential student the means to learn about the Computer
Science Degree.

The next passages will focus on CIT/CIS sub catagories of CS, Career growth, pay, tution costs,
Job postions and duties. The report will be categorized as follows.

● Education CIT/CIS vs CS
● Cost and Pay
● Career Growth and Duties

With this potential students should gather enough information to see if this booming career path
is the correct choice for them.

Education CIT/CIS vs CS
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Education for a Computer Science (CS) degree is massive and encompasses a lot of areas that
it seems that subcategories have been created for students. The subcategories are Computer
Information Technology (CIT) and Computer Information Systems (CIS), these subcategories of
CS have sometimes turned into their own Associate Degrees over the past couple of years.
There are other instituitions that have a 4 year program for a CIS degree, for this example we
will focus on the 2 year programs.

Though this is the main difference between the CIT/CIS degrees between a CS degree, one is a
Bachlors and the other is a Associates. This is not to say that these 2 year CIT/CIS degrees are
completely useless compared to a CS degree or you can’t get a job with a CIT/CIS degree.
There are just limitations that you will encounter when pursuing them.

The positive side to the CIT/CIS degree is the amount of time it takes to complete the degree
compared to that off a CS degree. It only takes 2 years to complete the CIT/CIS degree
compared to that of the CS degree which is 4 years. The benefit is that you can graduate and
get into the workforce quicker and gain experience while the CS majors are still at college.
Since you are in school for less time it is also more suited for the potential student that is less
financially intensive, and you do not need to attend more intensive classes, such as advanced
mathematics, that could be challenging for students.

Though that is where the postives stop for the 2 year CIT/CIS. If you get a CS degree it is
assumed that you have knowledge in CIT/CIS so it is like earning both of those degrees, but
under one name. Which you could go for an additonal 2 years for a 4 year program in CIS, but
at that point you mind as well just get the CS degree because a CS degree covers all things that
concern a computer and that is giving the student the most important tool a person could have
in this rapidly changing workforce, and that is versatility.

Having versatility means you have more options which means more opportunities which makes
the student more successful. For example a student could land a job with a 2 year CIT/CIS
degree, but in order to get a promotion (or atain a desired postion) the employeer might require
the student to have a CS degree. I have seen this happen before and is also the reason why I
am personally going back to school. In this day and age graduates need to know so much about
a field of study saying that you only know a certain area of a field of study severely limits your
growth.

In conclution I wish to premote the CS degree as a more versitily choice, but understand if all a
student has time/desire for is a 2 year CIT/CIS and still see it as a good choice for a potential
student. Though if I knew that it is more obtainable to get a six digit salary with a CS degree
than a CIT/CIS degree. Than I personally would sacrifice an extra 2 years of school for that.

Cost and Pay

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Now what is this going to cost the student to attain a CIT/CIS degree and a CS degree. This is
assuming that all students will use the out of state cost, and is using a databank from 2017
provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

The 2 year Associate degree for the CIT/CIS degrees have a average of $20,784 a year for
tuition and $41,568 for the full 2 years.
The lowest is $8,918 a year with a total cost of $17,836 at Mississippi Delta Community College.
The highest is $54,780 for a year, though the University of New Haven treats this more as a
minor than an Associate. So a better example would be Hawaii Pacific University at $39.954 a
year and $79,908 for the full 2 years.

For a CS degree the average is $41,992 and for the full 4 years is $167,968.
The lowest is Brigham Young University Hawaii at $13,010 a year and $52,040 for the full 4
years.
The highest is the University of Chicago at $73,560 a year and $294,240 for the full 4 years.

With these numbers we can see a wide variety of costs and how that could influence a potential
students decision and I am sure our institution can come up with a competitive price.
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Though what a student likes to hear is what they will make once out of school. According to the
Bureau of Labor
Statistics the median
wage is $103,620 with
the lowest 10% earned
less than $61,660 and
the highest 10%
earned more than
$161,290.

With numbers like

those that personally
gets me intrigued
about this computer
science discipline.
Though another thing
that students also care
about is what kind of
jobs will they work, and
will the job be still
around when they
graduate.

Career Growth and Duties

The growth of Computer Science is high but is divided into categories such as software
development which is projected to grow 24% from 2016 to 2026, Application developers to grow
31%, Database Administrators 11%, Computer System Analysts 9%, and Web Developers at
15%. So it is safe to say that jobs will be available for students once they graduate.
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As for the average duties performed in a normal

work day students should expect to do a lot of
coding.
Meaning staying at a desk for most of the day
and staring at a computer screen for the
majority of the time.
It is generally a 40 hour work week with
possibility to work overtime if deadlines need to
be met.
In general expect to work a typical 9 to 5 job
would be a reasonable expectation.

As for what exactly you are programming

that can vary heavily on what company you
work for. Ones that might come
immediately to mind are computer
companies like AMD and Intel, but a
student could also work for bank
companies like Chase and Capitol One for
their security, Automobile companies like
Ford or Toyota designing the car
computer’s systems, Ford is also looking
into self driving vehicles so there is a future
in that as well. Basically anywhere a
computer is vital to the operation of a
company there will be a need for a person
to maintain it.
Conclusion and recommendation

The scope of Computer Science will

spread far as computers become more and
more integral in our daily lives. This gives students the ease of mind that there is a future in this
field and is worth pursuing if interested in.
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As stated in education getting the 4 year CS degree will be extremely beneficial to a student as
they go down their desired career path. Having that education will set you up to go anywhere in
the computer science world the student desires. Weather it be Cybersecurity, Full Stack
Programming, Information Technology, and any other related computer field, the student will
have the necessary knowledge to excel in their chosen field.

References

University of Wisconsin (2019) Computer Science Jobs and Career Outlook. Retrieved from
https://appliedcomputing.wisconsin.edu/about-applied-computing/computer-science-
jobs/

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019) Occupational Handbook, Computer Information Technology,

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Software Developers. Retrieved from

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-
developers.htm#tab-1

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019) Occupational Handbook, Computer Information Technology.

Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm

Computer Science Degree Hub (2019) Do Computer Programmers Work Long Hours?
Retrieved from
https://www.computersciencedegreehub.com/faq/computer-programmers-work-long-
hours/

Computer Science (2019) Careers in Computer Science Retrieved from

https://www.computerscience.org/careers/

Computer Science Zone (2019) Computer Science Degrees: What Are They? And What’s The
Difference. Retrieved from
https://www.computersciencezone.org/computer-information-systems-vs-information-
technology-vs-computer-science/

The Daily Universe (2019) BYU increases tuition for 2018-2019 school year. Retrieved from
https://universe.byu.edu/2017/10/30/byu-increases-tuition-2018-2019-school-year/