I'm deciding to add another major, something in computers.  So far, I only found a BS in computer science degree.

How is the job market out there?  Is there any better IT degrees?

I noticed a lot of the gunnuts are IT so I naturally became very interested in becoming yet another IT guy who happens to be a gunnut.

Thank you for all your help and inputs

A CS or CIS degree will get you far but your brain will pay for it.  I guess what really matters is what types of jobs you are interested in.  Do you want to be a programmer (i.e. web developer, Database Admin (DBA), software developer...etc)  or do you want to be on the business side of operations (i.e. Systems Analyst, Business Analyst, Support Analyst...etc).  

I have a degree in CIS,  and originally thought I wanted to be a DBA working with Oracle, SQL and all things dealing with relational DB's.  What I found is the people who get more respect and rate higher pay grades are the people who work on the Business side of things rather than the programming or development side.  Sure you have more fun crunching code than you do creating a business requirments, but programmers will  always be just 'programmers' while business oriented people can move to all sorts of positions and areas.  In my opinion, developers are a dime a dozen while people with good business operations experience are worth their weight in gold.  Others will tell you differently, but other than Bill Gates or Steve Jobs can you name another CEO who started his/her career as a programmer?  I am challenged to identify any.  On the other hand I can name atleast a dozen or so Biz Ops people at CEO level positions.  Take it for what it's worth.  

I think the best plan for a undergrad degree is to get a technical degree (CS, CIS...etc) and then supplement it with a MBA (IMHO a MCIS/MCS will pinhole you into a technical position) that way you have technical background and business sense.   Before you ask, I am not a programmer (any longer) and am not a CEO or even VP level employee.  I am a Business Analyst with a large company ATL based company.  Like I said before, it all depends on where you want to be 5 or 10 years from now.  

Mac

I have a B.A. in Accounting and an MBA.  I work as an Information Security Auditor.  It is a highly lucrative and an in demand job.  Like the gentleman above me stated, you *must* get some business education in addition to your technical education if you really want to go far.  I'd recommend Accounting, just because there are so many jobs open to you.  Not all the jobs are number crunching, in fact a lot of accounting is automated via computer tests and someone with computer security knowledge is in high demand because of Sarbanes (Internal control testing of computer systems).  Good luck with your choice man.  

For what it's worth-All the accounting kids at my school got jobs right out of college(with nice pay), while the CS degree guys had a much harder time getting jobs and they coulden't exactly haggle over their pay.

It you thought the bottom was falling out of the IT market a couple years ago, you haven't seen shit.  And that MBA you just spent the past few years working on to complement your compsci degree?  About useless in the IT world now - everybody and their brother seems to have an MBA now.  The job market will once again be flooded with IT personnel in the next year or so, and it will be an employer's market.  More skilled jobs such as infosec and programming will be the next wave of "offshored positions".

If it isn't critical or hands-on, it's going away.  And most of the hands-on positions left behind will be entry-level hourly jobs that teenagers will be vying for every summer to earn that little bit of cash before heading off to school in the fall.  Small and medium businesses will be the slowest to react, but I bet once the "contractor" market opens up again, even those jobs won't be safe for much longer.

It's hard to get your first job in IT.  You pretty much have to know someone.  It seems that most of the programming jobs are going overseas.  There are still quite a few infrastructure jobs.

I can't tell you how many IT folks I have met who have accounting or finance degrees.  I guess it is the same analytical mindset.  

What happened to becoming a PO PO?

If you want to program get a CS degree.  I'd say in the past three places I worked the only people that had computer science degrees were programmers.  All us support (PC, Server, Network, web types) had anything from Criminal Justice (me) to finance, mechanical engineering, business, history, you can just about name one.  Without the degree you have to take a foot in the door job just to get some computer experience to add to the resume.

There is definitely not the boom like there was 7-10 years ago.  From what I have seen.  Most IT departments need people that are good at project management and accountability.  

They will only outsource so much.  There will always have to be hands on folks around.  Maybe not as many as in the past, but there will have to be some.

Think about GIS(Geographic Information Systems) it is still open for growth in IT. Otherwise look at something in the medical field. Hey, we're all getting older!

www.gis.com/index.cfm

Quoted: .....Otherwise look at something in the medical field. Hey, we're all getting older! www.gis.com/index.cfm

No joke.  If I knew what I know now i would have bypassed a CIS degree and became a nurse.  My mom and one of my sisters are nurses and they are doing exceptionally well.  Another one of my cousins moved to the states 5 or 6 years ago with nothing in her pocket except her RN.  She worked hard and just last year purchased a $600k house, new car, furnature...the works.  Needless to say she is making bank and is relatively young to boot.  

Many thanks to all.  I'll definately look into the Business side, I am not certain if I can get in though (different college)

Quoted: What happened to becoming a PO PO?

Hello Bird,

It's taking too much time while I idle away my time and life.  I am getting old and desperate.  Besides my other degree has been as worthless as #*^% and at this point in the game, I would rather fry my brains now with hard studying than take it easy and see where the road leads for my future like hyppies.

Also joined Army ROTC.  The best decision I've ever made, but my parents are not happy.

Oops forgot to add.  Please wish me luck,

-Ha, the Birthday boy

Good shoot this last weekend Graz!

Thank you sir and it's been a pleasure...may I inquire who you may be?  You can IM me to remain anonymous to the general people here

Quoted: Good shoot this last weekend Graz!