Member Avatar for BioHazard90

I have a four year degree in chemistry.

Now I want to become a computer programmer.

I'm willing to go back to school for a year or two.

For an entry level programmer at this point in time, what's the approximate starting salary if I had an associate's degree in computer science? How about if I had a master's degree?

In case it matters, I'm in the Northeast.

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For : both an associate and a master's can lead to programming jobs, but they serve different goals and neither guarantees a high starting title by itself. As notes, employers place heavy weight on actual, demonstrable experience; the thread also shows how outcomes shift by country and school (, ). The practical question is which path gets you useful skills and real work examples fastest.

If you have 1–2 years to invest, prioritize a plan that produces measurable output: learn core CS fundamentals (data structures, algorithms, basic systems), pick one mainstream language and its ecosystem (for example Python, Java, or JavaScript plus a backend or frontend stack), and master version control, testing, and a database. Ship 2–4 polished projects, put them on GitHub, and try to get short paid or volunteer gigs, internships, or contributions to open-source—those reduce the “experience” gap far more than a credential alone.

Choose the credential by return on investment. An associate or targeted certificate/bootcamp is faster and cheaper and often enough to get junior developer roles when paired with a portfolio. A master’s is worth it when aiming for specialized roles (research, advanced systems, ML/data science) or when the program includes internships and strong employer connections. Evaluate programs by placement stats, internship pipelines, and curriculum relevance—not just the name on the diploma.

Leverage the chemistry degree: target scientific software, lab automation, data-analysis roles in pharma/chem firms, or instrumentation software—your domain knowledge is a differentiator. On the job hunt, tailor resumes to role titles (junior developer, software engineer I, QA/automation, scientific programmer), network locally, and practice coding interviews. If speed to employment matters, favor the shorter route plus a solid portfolio; if you want deeper specialization, consider a master’s with clear ROI.

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Member Avatar for jbennet

not much. Even with a degree you still have to start at the bottom (very junior programmer, it helpdesk etc....) - employers look most importantly on the job experience.

Member Avatar for BioHazard90

A programmer might have to start at the help desk? You've heard what you consider to be reliable reports of this?

Member Avatar for jbennet

yep

Member Avatar for Nick Evan

I have a bachelor in Embedded systems engineering. I don't know anyone from my class that had to start with a helpdesk, but the situation might be different here in the Netherlands.
The start salary here is between 1800 euro (1500 pound/2300 usd) and 2100 euro (1750 pound/2700 usd), but that's without subtracting income tax.
It also may vary alot between countries.

Member Avatar for BioHazard90

>The start salary here is between 1800 euro (1500 pound/
>2300 usd) and 2100 euro (1750 pound/2700 usd), but that's
>without subtracting income tax.

That's per month, right?

Member Avatar for Nick Evan

That's per month, right?

No, per hour. I'm a gazillionair. :icon_rolleyes:


But serious: yes, per month...

Member Avatar for jbennet

in the UK university graduates withan amazing employer like IBM start on like 25,000 a year. thats extremely unusual(and theres no way youll get an job at ibm , they get like 10,000 applications for like one job)

Small software houses can offer as low as £12,000 - £17,000 for a junior programmer

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