Computer Systems
Types of Degrees Computer Systems Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many computer systems analysis graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 1,092 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 985 |
Basic Certificate | 490 |
Graduate Certificate | 179 |
Associate Degree | 95 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 21 |
Doctor’s Degree | 2 |
What Computer Systems Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to computer systems and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Computer Systems Majors
Computer Systems majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- 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.
- Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
- 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.
Skills for Computer Systems Majors
A major in computer systems 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.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Abilities for Computer Systems Majors
As you progress with your computer systems degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
What Can You Do With a Computer Systems Major?
People with a computer systems degree often go into the following careers:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Computer Network Architects | 6.5% | $109,020 |
Computer Network Support Specialists | 8.2% | $62,770 |
Computer Science Professors | 8.1% | $82,220 |
Computer Systems Analysts | 9.1% | $88,740 |
Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Systems?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of computer systems majors is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 151 |
Black or African American | 106 |
Hispanic or Latino | 176 |
White | 413 |
International Students | 78 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 61 |
Geographic Diversity
Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Computer Systems. About 7.9% of those with this major are international students.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Computer Systems
Some careers associated with computer systems require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for computer systems careers below.
Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
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) | 4.8% |
Some College Courses | 6.1% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 15.9% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 32.3% |
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. | 6.3% |
Master’s Degree | 21.3% |
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. | 2.1% |
Doctoral Degree | 9.4% |
Online Computer Systems 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) | 19 | 5 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 26 | 8 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 7 | 2 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 14 | 3 |
Post-Master’s | 1 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 1 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
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Majors Related to Computer Systems
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to computer systems.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Computer Information Systems | 105,098 |
Computer Science | 72,693 |
Information Technology | 46,791 |
Information Science | 20,202 |
Computer Software & Applications | 14,684 |
Computer Systems Networking | 13,734 |
Computer Programming | 12,983 |
Other Computer & Information Sciences | 2,000 |
Data Processing | 1,927 |
Data Entry | 542 |
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 Louv under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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