Michaelis recently released the “2023 China Undergraduate Employment Report,” which also unveiled the annual “Most Lucrative” undergraduate majors.
According to the report’s data, the highest monthly income among the 2022 graduates was achieved by students in the field of Information Security (7,579 yuan). Following closely behind were majors in Information Engineering (7,157 yuan), Data Science and Big Data Technology (7,074 yuan), and Software Engineering (7,056 yuan). The starting salaries for these graduates all exceeded 7,000 yuan.
Rounding out the top ten in the high-income rankings were majors in Electronic Science and Technology (6,971 yuan), Microelectronics Science and Engineering (6,889 yuan), Network Engineering (6,878 yuan), Internet of Things Engineering (6,870 yuan), Electronic Information Science and Technology (6,761 yuan), and Automation (6,698 yuan).
It is evident that the top ten high-paying majors are predominantly computer-related disciplines closely associated with IT.
In addition, the National Bureau of Statistics recently released the average wages data for urban employees in 2022.
The data shows that in 2022, the information transmission, software, and information technology services industry had the highest average wages, both in non-private and private urban non-private units.
Not only in China but also abroad, these professions are considered high-paying industries. Therefore, IT-related majors have naturally become one of the most popular choices for Chinese students studying abroad, with Computer Science being the most representative major.
So, what does studying Computer Science entail? And if you aspire to study CS abroad, which top universities are recommended?
1 What is Computer Science?
They say it’s a mysterious field:
So, what exactly is CS?
CS is the discipline that systematically studies the theoretical foundations of information and computation, as well as the practical techniques for implementing and applying them in computer systems. It involves the study of algorithms used to create, describe, and transform information processing systems, encompassing areas such as computational theory, algorithms, computational problems, and the design of computer systems’ hardware, software, and applications.
When it comes to CS, people often think of lines of code, and while programming is crucial to studying CS, it is just a small part of the field. The research and study areas in CS primarily encompass 14 different directions:
● System and Network
● Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
● Privacy and Security
● Programming language
● Database
● Computer Graphics
● Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
● Algorithm
● Computer Theory
● Scientific Computing
● Software Engineering
● Computer Vision
● Computer Architecture
● Human Computer Interaction
2 Which University Should You Pick for Computer Science?
As the birthplace of the Internet, the United States boasts world-leading Internet technologies. Additionally, as a STEM field, Computer Science (CS) offers international students the opportunity to apply for a 3-year Optional Practical Training (OPT) period. Even if they don’t plan to stay in the U.S. long-term, they have the chance to gain valuable internship or work experience. Therefore, CS programs at American universities have become the dream destinations for many students.
According to the “2022 Report on International Students in the U.S.” published by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the data reveals:
Among the total of 1,362,157 international students studying in the United States, there are 91,083 students majoring in Computer Science (CS), making it the most popular field of study. The United States offers a multitude of universities with computer science programs, and we can refer to the latest ranking of U.S. News on the best undergraduate computer science programs in the country.
Carnegie Mellon University
● Fall 2021 admission rate: 14%
● SAT：1480-1560
● ACT：33-35
● Application deadline: January 1
● Percentage of international students: 22%
Carnegie Mellon University, or CMU, is a private research university located in Pittsburgh.
For the average American university, CS will be attached to the College of Engineering, but set up as a department, while Carnegie Mellon University directly opened a college, the School of Computer Science ( Abbreviated as SCS), the undergraduate program offers undergraduate degrees in Artificial Intelligence, Computational Biology, Computer Science and Human-Computer Interaction.
In addition, the College offers a degree in Computer Science and Arts, an interdisciplinary program in computer science and arts.
CMU has two campuses, the main campus is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2002 opened a new campus, referred to as CMU-SV, and this new campus is located in Silicon Valley, where all the top companies have everything – Apple, Google, Facebook, looking for internships, looking for jobs are very convenient.
In terms of salary compensation, the average salary of CMU Computer School undergraduate students in 2022 will reach $132,825 (about 930,000 yuan), the median annual salary is $130,000 (about 910,000 yuan), of which the highest annual salary even reached $200k (about 1.4 million yuan).
Graduate students earn an average of $135,555.
Some time ago, there was a hot topic on the Internet – most millennials think they will enter millions within ten years of graduation. Now it seems that if the fruit can enter the computer school of CMU, it is possible to complete this “small goal” just after graduation.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
● Fall 2021 Admission Rate: 4%
● SAT：1510-1580
● ACT：34-36
● Application deadline: January 1
● Percentage of international students: 10%
Located in Cambridge, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, MIT focuses on scientific and technological research. As a world-renowned institution of science and engineering, MIT’s mechanical major is an interdisciplinary – electrical engineering and mechanical science, belonging to the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS).
EECS is one of the largest departments at MIT, with 1,500 undergraduate students, 900 graduate students and more than 130 faculty and staff, about 25% of the university’s undergraduate students belong to EECS, known for its rigor and innovation. They explore areas ranging from mathematical computer theory to circuit design and electronics, control and communication theory, artificial intelligence and robotics.
EECS offers six majors: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Science, The two combine, as well as computer science and molecular biology (jointly with the Department of Biology), computer science, economics and data science (jointly with the Department of Biology), and computational and cognitive science (jointly with the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences).
According to Payscale, the median starting salary for MIT CS-related majors is $104,600 (about 732,000 yuan), which is 1.3 times the median starting salary for students at the school.
EECS graduates go on to major companies such as Google, Microsoft, Oracle bone inscription, or IBM. The average starting salary for a bachelor’s degree is more than $100,000.
Stanford University
● Fall 2021 Admission Rate: 4%
● SAT：1470-1570
● ACT：34-35
● Application deadline: January 2
● Percentage of international students: 11%
Stanford University’s computer science major is an ace major, affiliated with the School of Engineering. It has cultivated many outstanding talents, such as former Google CEO Eric Schmitt, Apple founder Steve Wozniak, and Sun Microsystems founder Bill Joy, who are all students of the profession.
In computer research, Stanford is a strong top master in theory, digital repository, software, hardware, AI and other fields. Coupled with the excellent geographical location of Silicon Valley and the excellent academic background that focuses on the theory and practice, the CS major at Stanford University is very popular and competitive.
At the same time, the professional course requirements are also very high, which requires students not only to be enthusiastic about computer science, but also must have enough solid mathematical foundation and the spirit of hard work.
The CS major provides extensive and rigorous training for students interested in computer science. Students need to complete core courses to lay a foundation for CS theory and systems, and can also choose to study in one of nine specific areas such as ergonomic intelligence, biocomputing, and human-computer interaction.
According to PayScale, the average starting salary at Stanford University is $109,800, which is nearly 1.5 times the average starting salary.
University of California, Berkeley
● Fall 2021 admission rate: 15%
● SAT：1290-1530
● ACT：27-35
● Application deadline: November 30
● Percentage of international students: 13%
The University of California, Berkeley, referred to as UCB, and MIT, CMU, Stanford University and known as the United States of America’s four major science schools. UCB has three major areas of computer science – electrical engineering and computer science (EECS), computer science (Computer Science) and data science.
The essential difference between them is:
● Different degrees: EECS is offered by the College of Engineering and can be awarded a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree after graduation; While CS and Data Science are offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is available upon graduation.
● Different learning content: EECS combines the fundamentals of mechanical science and electrical engineering in one major, requiring more math and science courses; CS courses require more non-technical or extensive courses; The Data Science course combines computation and reasoning, training students to use statistical inference, computational procedures, data management strategies, domain knowledge, and theory to draw reasonable conclusions from contextual data.
The starting salary range for the Class of 2021 is $111,996-$ 130,000, with a median salary of $120,000 (840,000 yuan).
3 What are the prospects for the computer profession?
1. Big talent gap
Whether at home or abroad, the current demand for computer-related talent in the field is very large, computer professional employment is relatively easy.
In America, there are a lot of big internet companies, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc.
And not only these technology companies, now the major industries are in transition, it can be said that computer talent has become the meat and potatoes of various industries are sought after.
2. Welcome to the factory.
At CMU, for example, the class of 2020 CS graduates are the most popular among tech giants such as Facebook, Google, and Microsoft.
For example, CS students at Berkeley are most popular with companies such as Amazon and Google. Most of the positions are Software Development Engineer, Software Engineer, etc.
Some students also went to financial companies, such as Goldman Sachs (Goldman Sachs) and other positions such as Technology Analyst (technical analyst).
3. High pay
Take the Software Engineer (SE), the most CS graduates, for example. According to levers.fyi, a Facebook Software Engineer has an average base salary of $123k, and with stock bonuses, an average salary of $181k.
With the increase of qualifications, the salary level of the position is also increasing rapidly, it can be said that the “money” way is limitless.
For example, Amazon’s junior Software Engineer has an average annual salary of $165k (about 1.155 million yuan).
You may say that these are well-known companies, and the pay level is certainly high. PayScale’s median base salary for a CS graduate in America is $91k, excluding bonus stock.
Of course, the professional degree of CS talents at home and abroad varies greatly. To find a dream job, in addition to the school background, your own strength is the most important factor.
In addition, considering that the application for CS is quite intense every year, and there are too many applicants with high standardized scores such as GPA and TOEFL.
In this case, the competition at the core level of the application process becomes the competition between applicants with academic backgrounds – for example, high school students can participate in some robotics and computer competitions; At the university level, you can follow your tutor to do related projects, publish academic papers or patents or go to the top 500 technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, IBM and other companies. These are experiences that add value to the applicant’s academic background.
The application itself is a process of continuous improvement of cognitive ability and knowledge. The computer field has become a popular choice for studying abroad, but popular does not mean suitable. The curator still hopes that when choosing a major, in addition to “money,” you should also consider your own interests and advantages, and find the most suitable direction for yourself.
