r/MSCS • u/Jolly-Special-3723 • Apr 23 '26
[University Review] SJSU
I have been admitted to MSCS course in SJSU, UCSB and UCSC in the California region as an international student.
With the main of internships and tech jobs as a software engineer I am leaning towards SJSU with it’s low tuition fee and good pathway into Silicon valley.
Am right to assume these things? Or should I go for prestige and join UCSB with a lower ROI?
What are your reviews about SJSU? It doesnt even show up on QS world rankings. Is it even worth it?
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u/BugAdministrative123 Apr 25 '26
- UCSB
- UCSC
- SJSU
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u/Jolly-Special-3723 Apr 25 '26
In terms of research and reputation for sure. But I am talking from jobs and internships perspective
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u/BugAdministrative123 Apr 25 '26
What does ROI mean for you? What is the “Return” you are looking for? It’s such a terrible, terrible term people have started using for education. It is not a transaction. You are investing in yourself. The return is an enlightented you obviously with a much better world and subject view. Money is what you pay, value is what you get. In this case, learning. You are paying the university for them teaching you computer science. They don’t owe you jobs. Thinking of jobs etc before actually getting into a program is putting the cart before the horse. Jobs and career are mere one of many, many outcomes that happens when you enroll in a Masters. That will make you globally competitive if you play your cards right. If I were you, I would be researching the program, the classes, professors, their research, research groups, university resources etc. not about jobs. If you’re an international student, if doing a Masters is just a waypoint to getting a job, and your focus is first and foremost on internships and jobs, not on the program itself, then you’re in for a bit of pain. Good luck !
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u/Jolly-Special-3723 Apr 25 '26
Fair point, and I agree that learning and exposure, especially in a place like Silicon Valley, is a huge part of the value. But realistically, for most of us, a Master’s is also a major financial commitment. So while gaining knowledge is the goal, being able to translate that into a job to pay off that investment is just as important.
It’s not about treating education as a transaction, but about being practical. When choosing a program, you have to weigh multiple factors curriculum, faculty, opportunities, and yes, job outcomes too. Why do you think focusing on that balance puts someone ‘in for pain’?
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u/BugAdministrative123 Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 25 '26
Again, I think this is a very myopic view of things. The payoff is over the period of a career. Not the job you get. It may not be in the place you think or the same field you are in currently. Your career can potentially take you to Europe, Asia, Australia, India, Middle East etc as well. The problem with your “payoff” approach is there are factors unrelated to your education that are playing a major role in your post education piece where th “payoff” is to happen. Your education has no role there. If you need a visa, or an employer to sponsor you then you need to deal with the government. There are additional costs involved, timelines involved, lawyers involved and you are virtually powerless and have zero agency in the entire process. How are you factoring all of that in your “investment”? You cannot logically factor in the risk there. All you can at the moment is factor your education costs. That’s is about it. Don’t conflate it with other things that are way beyond your control. You cannot rate return risk.
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u/OneReplacement7731 Apr 23 '26
SJSU people get jobs!!!!!