Computer Programming

Types of Degrees Computer Programming Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general computer programming graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	3,377
Associate Degree	3,161
Bachelor’s Degree	1,945
Undergraduate Certificate	760
Master’s Degree	276
Graduate Certificate	134

What Computer Programming Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, computer programming majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Computer Programming Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for Computer Programming Majors

A major in computer programming prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities for Computer Programming Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a computer programming student include the following:

• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Computer Programming Major?

People with a computer programming degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Computer Network Support Specialists	8.2%	$62,770
Computer Science Professors	8.1%	$82,220
Software Developers, Applications	30.7%	$103,620
Software Developers, Systems Software	11.1%	$110,000
Web Developers	14.9%	$69,430

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Programming?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 83% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of computer programming majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	166
Black or African American	127
Hispanic or Latino	252
White	1,129
International Students	60
Other Races/Ethnicities	211

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Computer Programming, too. About 3.1% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Computer Programming

Some careers associated with computer programming require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for computer programming careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.6%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	2.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	4.9%
Some College Courses	3.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	9.3%
Bachelor’s Degree	58.0%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	1.3%
Master’s Degree	13.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.3%
Doctoral Degree	6.6%

Online Computer Programming Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	148	15
Certificate (2-4 Years)	14	5
Associate’s Degree	297	53
Bachelor’s Degree	9	4
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	13	5
Post-Master’s	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Computer Programming

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to computer programming.

Major	Number of Grads
App Specific Computer Programming	2,405
Computer Game Programming	380
Computer Programming Certifications	352
Other Computer Programming	168
Computer Programming, Specific Platforms	25

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By luis gomes under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.