Best major for good money while also having a social life MIS or CS?
Computer Science (CS)
Pros:
- More likely to make a lot amount of money. - Probably more work from home jobs. - If AI starts stealing everyone's job 15 years from now, CS might be a good place to be if I can get into machine learning and help run the AI. - Problem solving can be cool - Maybe way worse work life balance than MIS in college, but way better work life balance than MIS like 2 years out of college??
Cons:
- Courses are much harder than MIS, thus less time to spend building friendships. - To be competitive for internships and jobs you also need to spend a significant amount of time outside of classes learning actual skills. So even less time free time as if the classes don't demand enough time. - Supposedly there is huge saturation, at the very least there is in the entry level. This is maybe one of the biggest cons. The big issues from my understanding that causes this and why it is a real issue and not just short term like the recession/tech layoffs are as follows: 1. The huge rise of social media selling the idea that everyone can make 100K if they come into the industry. Now seems like everyone is doing boot camps. 2. Even without the self-learning and boot camp craze, the computer science graduates per year have doubled from 50K ten years ago to now over 100K new CS grads per year. 3. Global outsourcing. 4. ChatGPT/AI will advance exponentially, and will allow for workers to be more efficient leading to less workers needed, if any at all eventually.
Management Information Systems (MIS)
Pros:
- Supposedly it's pretty common for people to make 80K starting from Temple University with MIS, I can easily go to this school. - MIS is mix of CS and business stuff, so I'd imagine I'd have way more jobs I can get into with this degree for way better job safety. AND if I want to, I can always self-learn most CS skills if I wanted to get CS jobs. And I could get masters in CS if I wanted to. - Probably was less competition and saturation than CS field. - MIS is known to be an easier degree, plus I don't need to learn a hole bunch of stuff on top of the courses just to get hired, so more time for friends.
Cons:
- Maybe easier job to replace with AI?? If AI takes over every job, it will be harder to get into the AI/ML stuff with MIS - Probably slightly lower average pay and lower ceiling for pay?? - People call it the CS drop out degree - Maybe not as many work from home jobs, although honestly it's probably comparable?? - Maybe initially work life balance is better than CS, but not long term??
No matter which degree I choose, I am still a dedicated student and will work hard to be competitive for internships and jobs, I just really value work life balance so I can spend time with friends. Which path do you think makes sense if I want to make decent money, but also be able to have plenty of time to touch grass and hang with friends?
TLDR: MIS will maybe give me more free time than CS with only a bit less money???