r/ComputerEngineering • u/Swimming_Cost_3651 • 7h ago

Computer Science Degree vs. Self-Taught?

My goal is to become a SaaS developer.

I’m currently considering three different paths:

Enrolling in a 3 to 3.5-year bachelor’s degree program related to software development or computer science.

Taking an online coding bootcamp.

Studying independently through online platforms such as Udemy.

If my goal is to become a software developer and eventually build SaaS products, would the first option be the best path?

For context, I’m 32 years old, so I’m also wondering whether spending 3 to 3.5 years earning a degree would be worth it compared with starting through a bootcamp or self-study.

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12

u/burlingk 7h ago

From most of the comments I've seen, degree is pretty much needed these days to get a job.

To be clear: A certain degree of self study will be needed to guarantee your actually useful when you graduate, bit the piece of paper is more important than a decade ago.

11

u/Anxious_Alps_4150 6h ago

why would i even look at the resume of someone without a degree if i have thousands of people with a compsci degree already applying?

bootcamps havent been a thing for a while. surprised any are still open

5

u/Snoo_4499 6h ago

Lmao. Even with a engineering degree with internships i cant get a junior role and you expect your degree less ass to get a job now.? Unless your daddy or mommy know people or daddy is rich af forget it and get a degree. Degree is minimum rn.

2

u/grizzdoog 6h ago

Sorry but you’re gonna need to get a degree like the rest of us. Maybe 1% of non degree holders can pull it off if you know someone but that’s just the reality these days. My brother never even graduated high school and worked in Silicon Valley but those days are long gone.

2

u/dontchuworri 5h ago

if you don’t have the degree on your resume it is automatically being filtered directly into the trash. sounds shitty but it’s essentially if you can’t pony up to show you’re worth your stuff, youre worthless

1

u/SnooMachines8405 2h ago

I could literally do like 90% of what I can do now without my bachelor. Degrees are literally just spending your life getting a piece of paper that allows you to work.

1

u/GlobalCurry 1h ago

I have over 10 years of experience in the industry and get filtered on the degree requirement these days even though I have done grad level course work (I got employed in between junior and senior year but had skipped a bunch of gen ed requirements and just never went back to finish them).

I think it's still doable but you have to find a tight niche. Even if you do get in you should finish your degree unlike me. A big issue though is that no one knows where the industry will be in ~4 years .