{"id":6855,"date":"2024-08-26T13:03:52","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T17:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/?p=6855"},"modified":"2024-08-26T13:04:30","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T17:04:30","slug":"computer-science-specializations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/careers\/computer-science-specializations","title":{"rendered":"Computer Science Specializations Quiz: Which CS Career Is Right for Me?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’re considering a career in computer science, your options are nearly limitless \u2014 seriously, the applications of computer science continue to grow with new technological advancements! From creating new applications as a software engineer<\/a> to making strategic business decisions as a data scientist<\/a>, various industries and roles utilize computer science skills daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what are the main computer science specializations out there? How do you answer the challenging question, “What computer science career is right for me?” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ll review computer science specializations and the typical roles and skills required for each, and then share a free, fun quiz that helps you determine which one is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jump to computer science specializations quiz<\/strong> \ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83d\udcbb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What Is Computer Science?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Computer science is the study of computers, specifically their theoretical foundations and how they work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you study computer science in college, you’ll likely focus on the foundations of computing, including algorithms, data structures, computational principles, and programming<\/a> languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Computer science is the “why” behind computers \u2014 understanding why they work the way they do. Which computer science specialization you choose is the “how.” How do you want to apply the foundations of computing? Do you want to build something new? Use your knowledge to capture and analyze data? Program a machine that can learn on its own? Make sure the systems and technology you use are secure?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Computer Science Specializations?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Computer science is a broad field of technology that covers the foundations of how computers work; computer science specializations are how you choose to apply this knowledge. There are a few main types of computer science specializations: data science, cybersecurity, software engineering, and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data Science<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Average annual salary: <\/strong>$119,040<\/a> (data scientist)
Job outlook: <\/strong>35% (much faster than average)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data science<\/a> is a technical field focused on collecting, maintaining, processing, analyzing, and using data to make business decisions. For example, a data scientist may help a company decide whether they should try a specific marketing tactic again. They would collect past data and create a predictive model to assess the likely outcome.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Data Science<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Scrap and analyze customer review data, then build a predictive model to understand factors influencing customer buying behavior.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet started\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAvg. Time:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t3-4 hours\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSkills you’ll build:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tData visualization, data manipulation, web scraping, Python, Powerpoint\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet started\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Data science professionals are detail-oriented, analytical thinkers who can examine data closely and find meaningful patterns and trends. These professionals often work independently as they analyze the numbers, but they also need to communicate their findings to business leaders, who will use their insights to make strategic decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data science titles include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n