Top 12 Post Baccalaureate Computer Science Programs (2023)

FAQs

Is a post BACC in computer science worth it? ›

Is It Worth Getting an Online Post Baccalaureate Computer Science Degree? Yes, getting an online post baccalaureate computer science degree is worth it for many students. In the computer and information technology fields, jobs are projected to grow at a rate of 11% in the next 10 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Enrolling in a post-bacc program may offer you a chance to strengthen your transcript and knowledge base before you apply to medical school, and can be a good bridge between completing your undergraduate studies and entering medical school.

Most master's in computer science programs offer a master of science (MS) in computer science. However, schools may offer other types of master's degrees in this field, such as a master of business administration (MBA) that focuses on information technology.

A good rule of thumb is to shoot between 32-50 credit hours in your post-bacc to repair a sub 3.0 GPA.

How successful are students in the program at matriculating to medical school? Since its founding in 1998, the USC's Postbacc Program has sent between 60-70% of its students to medical school on first applications. Including second applications, the overall success rate is roughly 80%.

General post-baccalaureate requirements include: GPA of 2.5 or greater, although some programs may be more competitive and require a higher GPA.

The average age of our incoming post-bacc students is 26 years old (although we have had students as young as 20 and as old as 58), with 71% of our students being female, 28% being male, and 1% being gender non-binary.

Post-bacc students take “premed” courses to prepare for medical school and a career as an M.D. Critics say post-bacc programs are too expensive and difficult to get into.

What is the highest paying computer science major? ›

1. Software Engineer. In this job, you have to create computer programs (software), as well as maintain, audit, and fix them when necessary. It involves writing code and speaking different programming languages.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $145,500 and as low as $19,000, the majority of Masters Computer Science salaries currently range between $41,500 (25th percentile) to $94,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $110,000 annually across the United States.

“Computer science is one of those fields where having a bachelor's degree is enough to get some jobs, but certainly not all, particularly more senior roles. There are companies that are looking to fill positions with people who have a master's degree—that's motivation for a lot of people to pursue one.”

Yes, your undergraduate GPA is taken into account when you apply to graduate programs. Most colleges like to see at least a 2.5 or a 3.0 from master's program applicants. Some programs set their minimums at 3.3 or higher.

Software developers, for example, generally only need a bachelor's degree, but preference is often given to those with a master's in the field. Computer systems analysts also generally only need a bachelor's degree, but positions in this field that are technically complex often go to those with a master's degree.

Most students begin the Post-Bac Program in late May, complete eight required science courses over the following 12 months, and graduate the following mid-May.

To calculate these GPAs, each A-F or 0-100 grade you entered in the Grade field is first converted to a PostbacCAS numeric grade value, then multiplied by the attempted credits. The resulting product is Quality Points. Your total Quality Points are then divided by your Attempted Credits to determine your GPA.

The grades you earn in your post-bac program will impact your overall GPA, and since you will be taking premed classes, your GPA here will largely make up your BCPM (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math grades, used as a separate metric to assess medical school candidates).

However, since you're only taking a few classes, the boost to your overall GPA will probably be modest even if you ace the classes—usually just a few tenths of a point. Still, improvement is improvement, and the difference between a 2.9 and a 3.2 can be significant, especially if your MCAT is strong.

A post-bacc program helps you achieve a very direct, short-term goal: gaining admission to medical school. On the other hand, the master's program can give you more career options in medicine or research while bettering your chances of getting into medical school.

How do I get into a post BACC program with a low GPA? ›

Start with an informal postbac.

Just take classes as a non-matriculated student at whatever school you can to improve your GPA. You don't need to apply to any program to take classes as a non-matriculated student. The prerequisites are not the same as a Special Masters Program (SMP).

Considering the highest possible GPA is 4.0, it's pretty easy to say yes, a 3.9 is a great GPA unequivocally. The average high school student graduates with a 3.0, so your achievement is well-above average and qualifies you for acceptance into even the most competitive institutions.

Most students admitted to Harvard have an unweighted GPA of 4.18 or above, so you'll need to have at least a 4.2 to be seriously evaluated. To meet the Harvard requirements, you'll have to score primarily A's on your high school courses.

Do employers look at overall or major GPA? Generally, employees want to see your overall or cumulative GPA as an indication of your abilities as a student. Some employers will ask for a transcript, which means you need to include the exact GPA shown there.

A post-baccalaureate (postbac/post-bacc) program is for students who have already completed an undergraduate degree, and are interested in a health professions career. Programs vary in length, but generally range from 1-2 years.

Students pursuing a second Bachelor's degree after they have already completed their first degree are referred to as Post-Baccalaureate.

Post Baccalaureate programs are not considered traditional graduate education, but their standing is more advanced than a bachelor's degree. Some of these programs are offered under the umbrella of continuing education and leads to a graduate degree.

A: Historically, our acceptance rate has been approximately 50%.

One "C" grade can significantly drop your science GPA. If you major in a science, however, one "C" grade can be offset by several "A" grades in upper division courses. Volunteer activities show medical schools you have the desire to find out what you are getting yourself into.

If admitted, you must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours to receive a certificate and review by the Georgetown Pre-Health Recommendation committee. Post-bac students are also expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2 while completing the requisite coursework.

Can you make 200k in computer science? ›

It's definitely possible to make $200k as a Software Engineer. Salaries are very high, especially in the US, because venture capital puts so much money into startups. Investors are eager to find the next unicorn e.g. a company worth more than $1bn. So tech companies have a lot of money to spend on Software Engineers.

Some of the highest-paying careers with a computer science degree include computer network architects, software developers, and computer and information research scientists. Computer scientists earn $68,000 in entry-level positions, $100,000 in mid-career positions, and $121,000 in advanced positions.

Even newly minted Ph. D.s in machine learning and data science can make more than $300,000. Beyond the tech industry, among those betting on similar expertise tailored to their interests are banks, hedge funds, carmakers, and drug companies."

Yes, but not all software engineers will ever reach that level of compensation. There are two ways to get a very high compensation in tech companies. The first one is to join a high-growth company in early stages, when the first employees are given a large amount of equity, and hope for a successful IPO.

A degree in computer science can lead to roles in a variety of industries outside big tech, such as healthcare, postsecondary education, telecommunications, and business. While salaries can vary greatly by degree level and occupation, the median salary for computer science professionals is roughly $97,430.

In the United States, the average base salary for a computer scientist is $121,067 or $58 an hour. In the next 5 years, this base salary is expected to grow by 11% to $134, 983. Globally, computer scientists can expect to earn well above the average.

The increase in salary expectations is well documented. According to Payscale, a bachelor's in computer science earns you, on average, $85,000 per year. If you get your master's degree in computer science, Payscale notes a pay bump of $16,000 to an average salary of $101,000 per year.

The average college graduate starting salary is around $55,260. Computer science majors have the highest projected average salary for 2022, making an average of $75,900.

Several students having master's and bachelor's degrees in Computer Science are struggling to find a job in the IT industry. As per a study, the unemployment rate of recent CS graduates has spiked to 7.8%.

Can an average student do masters in computer science? ›

To pursue masters in computer science international students need to provide a bachelors degree certificate with a minimum GPA of 3.5 or above. Students are also required to prove their proficiency with the English language to get admission to the top universities for MS in computer science.

For example, to apply for MS in computer science, at prestigious universities like Columbia, Stanford, UCLA, a GPA of at least 3.5 is required. The program website usually has the minimum GPA requirement mentioned, so make it a point to check this before applying.

GPA matters, however, when applying for a job in competitive fields such as law, engineering, finance, and computer science. A stellar GPA can help you get to round one of the interviews because hiring managers often use them to screen potential candidates.

Yes, a computer science degree is worth it for many students. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting 11% job growth in computer and information technology occupations over the next 10 years.

An MS is basically a technical degree that gives you more interesting job opportunities. A PhD is basically a research degree, which opens up a host of advanced and research-oriented opportunities. Think less about how much money you can make but about quality of life.

The main difference between master's vs. post-baccalaureate programs is that the former contributes to your graduate GPA while the latter can boost your undergraduate GPA. Most students enroll in SMPs to enhance their profile: they're happy with their undergraduate GPA and have met medical school requirements.

In a post-bac program, you are laser-focused on excelling in prerequisite courses. This may lead to you getting higher grades than you did as an undergrad. “The grades you earn in your post-bac program will impact your overall GPA," the post said.

Does GPA Matter for Grad School? Yes, your undergraduate GPA is taken into account when you apply to graduate programs. Most colleges like to see at least a 2.5 or a 3.0 from master's program applicants. Some programs set their minimums at 3.3 or higher.

Does GPA matter for post grad? ›

For master's programs, many schools will want you to stay above a 3.0 just to avoid academic probation. For PhD programs, GPAs practically don't matter as long as they meet all the other requirements (unless you went to the PhD program right after undergrad, in which case you'll need to maintain a 3.0 or higher).

However, students have different financial needs, so she said each student should weigh the pros and cons for both options. Is it harder to be accepted into a post-bacc program with a lower GPA? For post-bacc programs, GPA doesn't matter as much as it does for medical schools.

If you enroll in a SMP and do not excel, you may hurt your chances for admission. The goal should be to achieve a GPA of 3.60 or better. If you need to take the MCAT, think about how you will study at the same time you are taking graduate level coursework.

"There is no denying that a postgraduate course is harder than an undergraduate course. You will have to put in a lot more work than what you have previously. If you expect and prepare to put in a lot of work, you will find it easier when it comes to doing it, which will then be reflected in your results."

Admission into some Special Master's Programs is extremely tough. Across the board, schools tend to require that students have taken premed school courses similar to those taken by MD program applicants. (That's why you'll need to do a post-bacc if you haven't taken any premed coursework yet.)