2. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

3. Overview: Computer scientists impact society through their work in many areas. Because computer technology is embedded in so many products, services, and systems, computer scientists can be found in almost every industry. Design of next generation computer systems, computer networking, biomedical information systems, gaming systems, search engines, web browsers, and computerized package distribution systems are all examples of projects a computer scientist might work on. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center

4. Overview (continued): Computer scientists might also focus on improving software reliability, network security, information retrieval systems, or may even work as a consultant to a financial services company. Employment is roughly distributed among the following detailed occupations: - Computer systems analysts: 487,000 - Network systems/data communications analysts: 231,000 - Database administrators: 104,000 - Computer and information scientists, research: 22,000 - All other computer specialists: 149,000 OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

5. Preparation: Computer scientists should be creative, inquisitive, analytical, and detail oriented. They must have a strong grasp of mathematics, including calculus, probability, and statistics, and computer systems. Preparation in one or more of the sciences, such as, physics, chemistry, biology, is also a requirement. Abilities to work as part of a team and to communicate well also will be important as computer science jobs frequently require interaction with specialists outside of computer science or engineering. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

6. Preparation (continued): Entry level positions in the field typically require a four year bachelor-of-science degree in computer science, information science, or computer engineering. State-of-the-art high technology research and development positions frequently require the M.S. or Ph.D. degree in either computer science or computer engineering. Tenure track professorial positions in a university require the Ph.D. degree. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

7. Preparation (continued): Those interested in a career in Computer Science should consider reviewing programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. Accreditation is based on an evaluation of an engineering program's student achievement, program improvement, faculty, curricular content, facilities, and institutional commitment. A list of universities offering accredited degrees in Computer Science is available at the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

8. Day in the Life: The rapid spread of computers and information technology has generated a need for highly trained workers to design and develop new hardware and software systems and to incorporate new technologies. Job tasks and occupational titles used to describe these workers evolve rapidly, reflecting new areas of specialization or changes in technology, as well as the preferences and practices of employers. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

9. Day in the Life (continued): Teams and Coworkers Although computer specialists sometimes work independently, they frequently work in teams on large projects. They must be able to communicate effectively with computer personnel, such as programmers and managers, as well as with users or other staff who may have no technical computer background. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

10. Day in the Life (continued): Tasks Computer scientists employed in private industry may advance into managerial or project leadership positions. Those employed in academic institutions can become heads of research departments or published authorities in their field. Database administrators may advance into managerial positions, such as chief technology officer. Some Computer Scientists choose to work as independent consultants or start their own computer consulting firms. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

11. Day in the Life (continued): The Workplace Computer Scientists usually work in offices or laboratories in comfortable surroundings. They usually work about 40 hours a week -- the same as many other professional or office workers do. However, evening or weekend work may be necessary to meet deadlines or solve specific problems. Given the technology available today, telecommuting is common for computer professionals. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

12. Earnings: According to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, median annual earnings of computer and information scientists is $97,970 in the United States. The middle 50 percent earn between $75,340 and $124,370. The lowest 10 percent earn less than $57,480, and the highest 10 percent earn more than $151,250. Median annual wages of computer and information scientists employed in computer systems design and related services is $99,900. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

13. Earnings: According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Spring 2010 Salary Survey Class computer science graduates were offered an average salary offer of $60,426. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

14. Employment: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer scientists hold 28,900 jobs in the United States. Although they are increasingly employed in every sector of the economy, the greatest concentration of these workers, about 23 percent, was in the computer systems design and related services industry. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

15. Employment (continued): Many computer scientists were also employed by software publishing firms, scientific research and development organizations, and in education. A sample list of employers of Computer Scientists is available at the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

16. Career Path Forecast: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, cmployment of computer scientists is expected to grow by 24 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of these computer specialists is expected to grow as individuals and organizations continue to demand increasingly sophisticated technologies. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

17. Career Path Forecast (continued): Job increases will be driven, in part, by very rapid growth in computer systems design and related services industry, as well as the software publishing industry, which are projected to be among the fastest growing industries in the U.S. economy. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science

18. Resources: More information about Computer Science is available at the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center, including employer lists, accredited Computer Science programs, suggestions for precollege students, a free monthly careers newsletter, and a PDF that summarizes the field.Sloan Career Cornerstone Centeremployer listsaccredited Computer Science programs precollege students newsletterPDF that summarizes the field Associations:  Association for Computing MachineryAssociation for Computing Machinery  Association for Women in ComputingAssociation for Women in Computing  IEEE Computer SocietyIEEE Computer Society  The British Computer SocietyThe British Computer Society OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Computer Science