Typically, if you are earning an online Doctor of Computer Science degree, you may be thinking of using your talents in the classroom or within the field of research, as these are the most common career paths to pursue with this degree. Your salary may depend greatly on the area of the country in which you live. The state of California has the highest paid workers in this field, due to the number of research institutions and top colleges they have.
In research, you will be tasked with assessing problems and implementing solutions to today’s technology issues. Organizations such as Microsoft and Apple are often in need of such dedicated researchers. You may also be hired to test products to identify glitches before the product gets into mass production. Video game developers also hire doctorate degree holders to test and repair their products before being released to the public. The average salary for a Computer and Information Research Scientist, as of May 2017, was $114,520 annually, although, some careers in research can earn over $150,000 per year.
With a PhD degree, you can easily work in the field of teaching. Generally, you will qualify to teach at the post-secondary level at colleges, vocational schools or at a university, however, if you have the opportunity, you may also conduct your own research. Salaries for professors in the field of computer science can vary greatly, however, can range from between $92,590 to upwards of $159,180 annually, depending on experience and job location.
But, what else can you do with your online Doctor of Computer Science degree? Suppose you are not interested in research or you’re not ready to spend your day in the classroom. With your online Doctorate degree in Computer Science, you will qualify for many high-level non-academic careers. Within your doctorate program, you probably chose a specialization to concentrate your efforts on. If so, perhaps a career pertaining to your specialization would be the best for you, however, there are others that will allow you to utilize your doctorate degree education. At this degree level, you should be fluent in all programming languages, as well as, other pertinent aspects of computer science, therefore, making you very marketable in the field.
As with most careers, as you advance, you may qualify for managerial positions. Often, with a doctorate degree, management is where your salary increase will kick in. Within the field of Computer Hardware Engineering, your salary could increase from $88,000 to over $176,900 annually, with a doctorate degree. Computer Programmers can increase their salary exponentially with a doctorate degree, as well. Salaries in this capacity may increase from $82,000 to over $132,000 annually. With a master’s degree in the field of Computer Systems Analysis, your salary is generally $88,000 on average, however, with a PhD, you can increase your salary to upwards of $137,000 per year. As you can see, the higher your degree, the higher your paycheck will be, no doubt.
The career outlook in the field of computer science is rather high. As technology is constantly changing with the needs of today’s world, numerous experts needed in this field are also growing by leaps and bounds. In addition, the need for qualified employees to teach in this field and to conduct research is also very high. If you are interested in pursuing this degree, please see our list of Colleges that offer Online Doctor of Computer Science Degree Programs that we have compiled for your convenience.
