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EDUC 1300

Mrs. Marvia King

28 November 2017

Computer Science

Computer science is one of the fastest growing fields. The demand for computer

technicians and programmers is on the rise every day. Computer programming is a fascinating

career path, and the job security is remarkably high due to the high demand. Basically,

programmer is a decent job, they will keep their job without worrying about anything.

Programming is the language of the 21st century. Most of the companies and industries depend

on the power of computers to grow more powerful and advanced, and this is why we are very

interested in this field.

As a computer programmer, the salaries vary from mid 40Ks to 130Ks depending on

experience and the kind of job the individual does, and the company they work for. The highest

paid programmers are usually employed in metropolitan areas of Seattle, San Francisco, and

New Mexico. The BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) announced that the number of available

positions as a programmer would decline by 8 percent by 2024, due to this decline in the number

of available positions, the salaries are expected to rise for the employees in the US. The BLS also

announced that in the next decade the number of available positions would further decline due to

the companies moving overseas for the search of cheaper and more affordable labor. This may

result in the loss of about 30,000 jobs. A computer programmer is expected to have full

knowledge of how a system operates, and how to perform certain actions in that system if

needed. Depending on the type of job they are assigned to do, programmers careers vary from

being a simple app designer to creating various servers each performing in different ways, or
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creating firewalls to prevent criminals from accessing confidential company information. A very

low-level programmer can usually find a low-end job with a bachelor’s degree with around 40K

salaries. Higher education level and a lot of experience are equal to a higher wage. Companies

always look for programmers who have worked for several companies and had much experience

in coding and maintaining a server; however, experience is not always a factor that companies

look for in new hires. For instance, if a young programmer demonstrates his skills through

various projects in university or comes up with an original idea, the chances that they will get

hired with a high-end salary is very high.

As a student in the Computer Science field, getting a job right after obtaining a bachelor’s

degree is possible. There are numbers of certifications that are obtainable; each one will open the

door to a certain job, for example, the Certification in Risk and Information Systems Control

(CRISC) is one of the highest paying certifications out there. This certification allows ones to

search for jobs that require a programmer for means of system security and maintaining a

system. The necessary steps that we, as computer science students, are following are simple.

First, we attain bachelor’s degree after completing the core courses from a major university that

offers strong computer science teachings such as the University of Houston or Oklahoma State

University. The different certifications are possibly obtainable even before we finish a bachelor’s

degree. That means each person will study for their preferred certification and attend college

classes at the same time. Getting more than one certification is also an option for more

possibilities of finding the desired job. Before obtaining a bachelor’s degree, many classes are

mandatory. Calculus, math in computer science and math electives, physics and science

electives, and programming related classes need to be taken and passed before one can earn their

bachelor’s degree.
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According to the Texas Reality Check report, the minimum annual salary for a very basic

lifestyle is about 50K in Houston. The yearly salary of a programmer with a bachelor’s degree or

higher is about 70K in Houston. The expenses include house payment, utility bills,

entertainment, food, clothing, student loan payment, savings, insurance, transportation, and

healthcare. These all add up to about 50K in Houston. Therefore, a programmer will be

absolutely fine living in Houston area with an excess 20K annually. This surplus income can be

used in future plans, like marriage or even savings or starting a new hobby such as collecting old

cars, for instance. This excess income may also be used to invest and turn that money into more

money, which is what most individuals do with their extra earnings. Some even save them for

their retirement by opening a 401K account and saving that money there for their future use.

In Houston, the average salary a person needs to afford a house and primary need is about

50K annually. Compared to Birmingham, Alabama, the salary in Houston is higher for a

programmer, but the expenses to housing, bills, etc. are a lot lower which makes it a great place

for a programmer to live in. The salary in Conway, Arizona is about 10K lower than Houston,

creating a huge gap, even though the housing and other expenses are a lot lower, the salary

difference is very significant. Seattle, Washington is one of the highest paid cities when it comes

to programming, but the expenses are almost 60 percent higher than Houston according to the

CNN Money Calculator. This expense increase is not covered by the 40 percent increase in the

annual wage which creates a risk for a programmer to move to that location. The location is one

of the most crucial factors in finding a job in the programming field. The core cities that contain

most of the headquarters of leading companies such as Seattle, California, etc. are the perfect

place to go when looking for a high wage. However, if one decides to go there, they have to be

the best of the best to obtain the highest salary in order to be able to cover the significant
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increase in expenses. As a computer programmer, depending on the certifications one decides to

get, the location may change. For example, a network security programmer may find it a lot

easier in Silicon Valley due to the concerns about the security of the electronic products, and an

IT manager may find it better suited for them in Seattle due to the high demand of server

maintenance and system analysis.

There are many ways a computer programmer can serve their community. Most charities

and volunteer centers recruit for members or function online. This use of technology is where the

programmers can help by creating a safe system for donations and personal information of the

members, or creating applications that make it more comfortable and more convenient for people

to participate and volunteer. An example of what a programmer can do is designing a system

where others can provide free tutoring for underserved communities, and they can also provide

services of such. Online tutoring is one of the easiest and most effective ways of creating a

higher educated society.

As computer science students, we all share the same goals, and that is doing what we

love, coding and programming, and earning a decent salary doing so. In order to make this dream

a reality, the first step is that we need to work very hard to learn about different languages in

coding and learning all the tricks and shortcuts in a computer. The second step is to identify what

field of programming we are interested in the most and when the choice is made, the

certifications are the way to go. The last step is to improve in the chosen field and to be

ambitious in the work we do. New ideas and creations are the fastest ways to success, therefore,

being active and looking for solutions for problems is an essential quality a good programmer

needs.