Careers for Computer Science

Careers in computer science are plentiful and diverse.computer science image by jeancliclac from Fotolia.com

Those with a background in computer science may be familiar with computer design, computer storage and security and future computer innovations. According to the Association for Computing Machinery, many computer science students and workers also have extensive training in mathematics. According to the University of Delaware, computer science is one of the fastest growing career fields, and many computer science careers offer substantial income and benefits for workers.

Computer Engineering Careers

Computer science provides a solid background for those who wish to pursue a career in computer engineering. There are a variety of positions available. Computer systems engineers develop new computer systems and networks and direct computer needs for organizations and large companies. Computer programmers take newly developed software and translate it for various computer systems. All of these careers require extensive knowledge of computer language and function and usually require at least a bachelor's degree in computer science. Median annual wages range from $69,620 for programmers to $92,430 for systems engineers as of May 2008.

Computer analyst careers are similar to engineering careers. Computer systems analysts work with companies and develop software that is specifically tailored to increase the organization's profit. For this reason, computer analysts tend to have not only at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, but also experience in related fields such as accounting and business. For example, as noted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a hospital that is hiring a systems analyst will often look for a candidate with a background in health management in addition to computer science. May 2008 median annual wages for computer systems analysts were $75,500.

Computer administrators help with the sharing and storing of information through computer networks and systems, the Internet, and computer databases. There are a variety of computer administrator careers available, such as Web administrators, computer security specialists, database administrators and network administrators. Workers in the field must have at least an associate's degree, although a bachelor's degree is usually required. Median annual income as of May 2008 was $66,310.