Statistics, Microbiology, or Computer Science degree? Which has best job prospects?

turtlerock
Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:03:21 +0000

IME, #1 Computer Science - #2 Statistics - #3 MicroBio.

Reasoning: I know more MicroBio majors than CompSci or Stats majors and none of them have a job in their field. This doesn’t mean you won’t get a job altogether, or that you won’t get a job in the field, but IME the yield for those majors is lower compared to the other two. In fact, one of my close friends graduated from UC Davis in MicroBio, couldn’t find any work, ended up going back home for a year or so working in mom and pop’s retail shop while studying for the LSAT for Law School. Another got a job at Genentech - a huge bio engineering company in the Bay Area California . . . as an event planner.

Statistics I’ve seen as good for the business/banking/insurance realm, or even a few other facets. Going this route, I suppose, would be determinant on what you really want to pursue long run. In our area, though these days it’s not all that secure, Math teachers are in high demand, so if you’re willing to get a teaching credential and possibly relocate, then this may be for you. Of course you may need to take on more loans in the FA process to do so, but many states have student loan relief programs for teaching professions that teach at public schools for X amount of years, or even privates have their own programs set up. Statistics shows a couple of things to employers: a) you’re comfortable with numbers and data, and b) you’re logical and analytical - like a puzzle/problem solver - because those are the skills it takes to succees in a math discipline.

I’ve rarely heard complaints for CS majors finding decent relevant work. The overwhelming majority that I’ve talked to are satisfied with the major and the doors and opportunities it has provided them. There are many directions you can go with CS as well, even more than Stats, IMO.