Although computer science majors make one of the U.S.’s highest starting salaries for those just graduating from college — $50,000 per year – the computer science major is becoming less popular among college students.  Computer science and computer engineering and IT consulting jobs are becoming some of the most high-opportunity jobs in the country according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Despite growing opportunities in IT consulting, enrollments in computer science programs at universities have dropped drastically in conjunction with employers stating they are having a labor shortage of qualified job candidates in the IT consulting industry.

IT consulting companies and other computer businesses have definitely shifted from the attitudes of the 1990s and early 2000s when during the dot-com era, tech companies had huge plans and crazy ideas that were risky and enticing for students.  During this time, university students were clamoring to get into computer classes because of exciting opportunities and potentially huge profits.

Some industry experts think that the dot-com bust is still scaring off potential IT industry specialists and their parents, along with fear that the offshore outsourcing trend will eliminate jobs within the U.S.  Still others believe that perhaps colleges and universities are not offering comprehensive enough courses in computer science and that as a result technical schools are becoming more popular than colleges among those students that are interested in the IT consulting field.  For more information on this IT consulting story, see the link provided.

Blogged By:  Joshua Feinberg