Is CS the New Art Degree? | _blackentropy

submited by

Style Pass

2024-11-21 16:30:04

Lately, I’ve been hearing the phrase "CS is the new art degree," and honestly, it hits differently depending on how you look at it. Part of me sees the frustration behind it—so many people chasing a CS degree, hoping for a golden ticket, only to end up struggling. But another part of me thinks it’s an oversimplified take that ignores the nuances of the tech industry. Let’s break it down.

I get why some people feel this way. CS has exploded in popularity, and with the flood of new graduates, not everyone lands that dream six-figure job. Some graduates can’t even find work in tech at all, and suddenly they’re left wondering if they just wasted years and thousands of dollars on a degree that didn’t pay off. It’s easy to see the parallels with art degrees—fields that are also competitive, with outcomes that depend heavily on the individual’s effort and talent.

But here’s the kicker: unlike art degrees, CS isn’t inherently a low-opportunity field. The demand for skilled engineers is still massive. It’s just that "skilled" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. A CS degree alone won’t get you far anymore—you need to prove you’ve got the chops. And honestly, I think that’s fair. The industry rewards competence, not participation.