Top Reasons Computer Science is the Best Subject To Study for Success in the 21st Century
Computer Occupations Represent the #1 Source of New Wages and the Majority of New STEM Jobs in the United States
The possibilities with a computer science education seem endless. Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg… Some of the richest people on the planet learned to code first before they earned their fortunes. It’s a small wonder, as tech skills put you at a significant advantage in today’s world.
Nowadays, success in the 21st century is largely determined by a person's ability to use computer-based systems. Computer science has been ranked as the top subject for success according to Forbes, and it's also one of the most in-demand jobs in today's economy, with all types of industries looking for skilled professionals.
Since there is a global shortage of tech workers, people with these skills can often command high wages, enjoy a positive work environment, and a rewarding career. By 2030, there might be a global shortage of 85.2 million software engineers.
Computer science is a highly sought-after field of study. There are so many reasons why more and more students are flocking to this subject. But what makes it stand out from the crowd? Let’s take a look at the top reasons why you should study computer science if you’re considering your future career options. Read on to find out!
A Future Ready Skill Set
As technology continues to advance, demand for qualified workers will continue to increase. This imbalance between available jobs and qualified labor has resulted in a large opportunity for students who are considering pursuing a career in computer science.
In a world that is rapidly digitizing, careers in computer science are becoming increasingly important. With a skill set that is both in demand and versatile, learning to code is a brilliant investment of time and effort. As this digital realm continues to evolve, the role of computer science in schools becomes evermore crucial, as the next generation will need to be well versed in this field.
There are many reasons why studying computer science is a valuable investment. Not only will you gain awesome technical skills for your future career, but it also opens the door to a variety of nontraditional careers.
It’s In Demand
It seems that with every development, machines are taking on new tasks and becoming more intelligent.
Computer science is a very in-demand subject; it’s a growing field that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects will grow “15 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.” This is due to the fact that computers, smartphones, and other devices are an essential part of modern life. More and more people are using these devices every single day, which means that more and more jobs are opening up in the computer science fields.
And, if you think that demand is high now, just wait until you see how many computer science jobs there will be in the future. 682,000 new jobs are expected to be created during the decade. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s always better to study something that is in demand. It means there will be plenty of jobs available for you once you graduate.
Computer science is a very popular subject, and is used in almost every industry, from finance to healthcare. It will give you skills that are applicable to many different jobs. The US Department of Education reports that from 2011-2021, the number of computer and information sciences bachelor’s degrees grew 144%!
According to the Computer Technology Industry Association, the global information tech industry reached a value of $5 trillion. Imagine that one dollar equaled one penny. If you changed $5 trillion into 5 trillion pennies, those pennies could stack from the earth to the moon over 20 times!
Code.org says that 90% of parents believe that their local high schools should offer computer science classes to their students. Plus, lots of parents, teachers, and principals believe that studying computer science is as important or more important than studying “math, science, history and English.”
You Can Earn A Lot Of Money
As the demand for computer scientists is so high, you can expect to make a good salary. People with tech skills often commend better wages than their non-tech peers. While every industry has different salary ranges depending on the particular job, occupations related to computer science tend to pay above the norm. Computer support specialists make an average of $57,910 per year, web developers earn an average of $78,300 a year, and computer scientists average $131,490 annually. For computer scientists, that works out to $63 per hour!
Computer Science Is A STEM Subject
Since we’ve talked about what makes computer science so great and the fact that it’s in demand, you may be wondering: is it really a STEM subject? While many people study subjects that aren’t relevant to the modern world, computer science is a STEM subject. It’s a great subject to study if you want to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. It will give you a solid foundation in these subjects, so you can pursue a career in any of these areas. Computer science is great if you want to pursue a career in a tech company. But if you want to work in the healthcare field, you can still study computer science. It will help you build the analytical skills you need to be successful in any STEM job. If you're torn between two fields and you’re not sure which one to study, computer science can be a great option.
There Are So Many Career Path Options For Computer Scientists
Computer science is a great subject to study if you want to pursue a career in tech. You can also become a software engineer or a computer programmer if that’s your goal—two jobs that are in high demand. If you want to pursue a career in the healthcare field, you can become a data scientist. There are many other non-tech-related career paths for computer scientists as well. If you want to pursue a career in the finance field, you can become a financial analyst. Or if you want to be a manager or CEO one day, you can study business. The options are endless! Britannica defines “computer science” as “the study of computers and computing, including their theoretical and algorithmic foundations, hardware and software, and their uses for processing information.” Lots of new people are entering the field. There are exciting big trends in computer science that include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Medical Technology
- Cloud Computing
- Cybersecurity
- Quantum Computing
- Robotics
- Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality
Computer Science Education
According to the “2022 State of Computer Science Education”, only 7.3% of elementary school age students and 3.9% of middle school age students enrolled in at least a foundational type computer science class. The number of US high school students who enroll in any computer science classes is similarly low. As you can see, even though the demand is very high, there should be more students getting a computer science education. Beyond schools, another avenue to study computer science is through a company. The private sector (businesses) provide a number of good options to study computer science. Computer languages like Python, Java, and Javascript can be learned from high quality providers. Some schools even use fun games like Minecraft and Roblox to teach coding skills.
Computer Science Helps Build Problem-Solving Skills
Not only is computer science a great subject to study if you want to pursue a career in tech, it’s also a way to build essential problem-solving skills that can be applied to many different careers. If you want to pursue a career in the medical field, problem-solving is essential. As a computer scientist, you’ll learn how to use logic and reasoning to solve complex problems. These skills will be useful in many different fields, including healthcare, finance and business. As you study the core concepts of computer science, you’ll learn how to solve complex problems. This is a skill that you can use in any career path, whether you pursue a degree in computer science or not. You can use these skills to solve problems in your personal life, as well as at work, which can help you advance in your career.
Conclusion
Computer science is the perfect subject to study if you want to pursue a career in tech, or if you want to try something new. It’s a very popular subject, and one that is in high demand by employers. There are so many different career paths you can take with this type of education, and it will also help you build essential problem-solving skills. If you’re interested in this subject, you should definitely consider studying it.
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