What can you do with a Computer Science degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

First, some facts. Of the Computer Science graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 25 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 87%, Computer Science graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago have a much higher likelihood (+20%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 87%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, only 4% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Computer Science graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

View a random Computer Science graduate from University of Illinois at Chicago and our analysis:


Relevance score: 50%

We think this person has gone into a career only somewhat relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2016 from University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Implementation Consultant
Fast Enterprises, LLC
Jul 2016 - Present
As an Implementation Consultant at Fast Enterprises, LLC, the role may utilize some technical skills related to computer systems and software implementation but does not directly require the core qualifications or extensive knowledge from a Computer Science degree on a daily basis.

ABOUT

Prior to my current programming pursuits, I spent several years gaining real-world work experience in managerial roles within the restaurant industry, until I realized that my true passion was coding. Fast forward four years, and I am now a senior at The University of Illinois at Chicago, majoring in Computer Science at UICs College of Engineering. I have spent my years at UIC building strong foundations in computer science theory, software design practices, and general programming techniques. Some recent examples of school projects include: Creating programs that implement smart pointers and virtual copying schemes (written using C++)Developing a Java application (which uses implements multiple design patterns) to manage a small business inventory, as part of a 4-person teamDeveloping a C# application that allows users to search for criteria about various Chicago neighborhoods by interfacing with OpenDataChicagos database, as part of a 4-person teamI have also worked with SQL, F#, and Python to complete various assignmentsOn the side, I previously developed a small game, called Sling Shooter, as an experiment with Unity/MonoDevelop (written using C#). I am currently developing a mobile game (as yet untitled), which should be released on the Google Play Store in the next few months. I am looking for a chance to test myself and my skills in a real-world setting, and am excited by the challenges this will present. I pick up new languages and frameworks quickly and enjoy the learning process, so venturing out of my comfort zone is not only a possibility, but also a welcome adventure. Ideally, I would like to work for a company that will push me to expand my skill set and grow as a full stack developer, within a collaborative atmosphere with people whose passion and dedication matches and reinforces my own.

What jobs can you get with a Computer Science degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


Looking at the career paths of recent Computer Science graduates from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a clear trend emerges: many of them have taken on roles that are deeply intertwined with technology and software development. Most graduates have landed jobs as developers or software engineers. This makes sense since these positions rely heavily on the technical skills and knowledge that they honed during their studies. For example, roles at companies like Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, and major tech firms like Activision show that these grads are applying their programming expertise in significant ways.

However, not all job roles fell directly in the realm of computer science. Some positions, like those of Implementation Consultants or Procurement Analysts, draw from tech knowledge but don’t fundamentally require the specialized skills learned in a Computer Science degree. This illustrates that while many graduates are diving into tech-centric roles, a few have veered off into positions that leverage only a fraction of their education. Overall, the majority of these jobs are quite relevant to Computer Science, validating the degree’s practical value in today’s marketplace.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Computer Science graduates (this is across all Computer Science graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to University of Illinois at Chicago):

What kind of career trajectories do Computer Science graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Okay, so if you're looking at what folks who graduated in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago are up to, it’s pretty clear that most of them are diving right into solid jobs within the tech world. For many of the graduates, their first jobs seem to be as developers, software engineers, or in roles like technical support, which are all directly related to what they studied. A lot of them find positions at well-known companies like United Airlines and Microsoft almost immediately after graduation, which definitely indicates that they’re getting valuable opportunities that align with their degree.

Fast forward a few years, and you can see that many of them tend to stick around in tech. By the five- to ten-year mark, many graduates move up the ladder, increasing their responsibilities and titles. For instance, some who started as junior or associate engineers have progressed to senior positions at large corporations like Accenture, Activision, and Mastercard. Overall, the trajectory looks pretty healthy, leaning heavily towards sustaining careers in tech. While there are some roles that seem a bit tangential, like a procurement analyst, the majority appear to stay connected to their computer science roots, which is pretty impressive! So if you’re thinking about a computer science degree, these outcomes certainly paint a positive picture.

How hard is a Computer Science degree from University of Illinois at Chicago?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) can definitely be challenging, but it's not impossible if you're into tech and problem-solving. The coursework covers a lot of ground, from programming and algorithms to systems and software design, so you'll need to put in some serious effort, especially with programming assignments and projects that can be pretty intense. Most students find it demanding, but if you keep up with the material, ask for help when you need it, and stay organized, it’s definitely manageable. Overall, I’d say it’s a bit on the harder side compared to some other degrees, but a lot of students find it super rewarding once they get the hang of it!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Computer Science.

Do Computer Science graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago tend to make good money?

So, looking at these Computer Science grads from UIC, it seems like they’re definitely on a solid path to making decent money. Many of them are in roles with reputable companies like United Airlines, Microsoft, and Accenture, which usually pay pretty well, especially as you climb the ranks. Even the newer grads are jumping into big firms or solid positions right out of school, which is a big plus. You'll notice that roles like "Senior Associate" and "Application Engineer" tend to attract higher salaries, and with the tech industry continually growing, these folks are likely finding themselves in good financial situations. Overall, it looks like they made smart moves, and it’s pretty likely they’re doing alright in the money department!

What buzzwords do Computer Science graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Computer Science (this is across all Computer Science graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to University of Illinois at Chicago). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Computer Science?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Computer Science (ordered by the average relevance score of their Computer Science graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
Stevens Institute of Technology 99 11
Eastern Michigan University 98 10
Colorado School of Mines 98 27
Michigan Technological University 98 12
Northern Arizona University 97 11
Northeastern University 97 21
UC Santa Barbara 96 10
University of Notre Dame 96 13
Carnegie Mellon University 96 14
University of Southern California 95 13
University of California San Diego 95 30
Eastern Washington University 95 13
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 95 24
Caltech 95 10
Northwestern University 94 14
Seattle University 94 12
Shanghai Jiao Tong University 94 10
Penn State University 93 30
University of Washington 93 61
Purdue University 93 50
University of California, Davis 93 21
University of California, Berkeley 93 41
The University of Georgia 93 10
University of Maryland 93 42
Cornell University 93 21
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 92 25
City University of New York-College of Staten Island 92 10
Grinnell College 92 10
Arizona State University 91 42
University of Wisconsin-Madison 91 44
San Jose State University 91 23
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo 91 28
The University of Texas at Arlington 91 17
Virginia Tech 91 19
University of Utah 91 22
Drexel University 91 28
Wayne State University 91 11
Missouri University of Science and Technology 91 26
Brigham Young University 90 32
Colorado State University 90 32
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 90 23
Oklahoma State University 90 10
Stony Brook University 90 25
University of Massachusetts Lowell 90 20
Vanderbilt University 90 14
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 90 17
University of Michigan College of Engineering 90 16
Gandhi Institute of Technology & Management (GITAM) University, Visakhapatnam 90 26
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad 90 11
University of Michigan 89 39
University of Pittsburgh 89 22
University of Virginia 89 38
University of Iowa 89 15
Georgia Institute of Technology 89 84
University at Buffalo 89 20
Utah Valley University 89 17
Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University 89 12
Manipal Institute of Technology 89 11
GITAM Deemed University 89 12
University of South Florida 88 24
James Madison University 88 16
The University of Texas at San Antonio 88 18
University of Delaware 88 12
Miami University 88 15
UC Irvine 88 52
University at Albany, SUNY 88 15
Brown University 88 11
The University of Texas at Austin 87 34
Michigan State University 87 22
Kent State University 87 11
Illinois State University 87 14
Clemson University 87 11
The University of Alabama 87 10
Washington State University 87 14
University of Maryland College Park 87 18
University of Illinois at Chicago 87 25
Rochester Institute of Technology 87 19
The University of Texas at El Paso 87 30
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani 87 17
University of California, Los Angeles 86 26
University of Missouri-Columbia 86 14
University of Connecticut 86 11
University of Massachusetts Amherst 86 27
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 86 12
University of Rochester 86 11
BV Raju Institute of Technology (BVRIT) 86 13
University of Florida 85 30
North Carolina State University 85 33
Grand Valley State University 85 11
Portland State University 85 22
University of Minnesota 85 38
Utah State University 85 16
University of Massachusetts, Amherst 85 10
New York Institute of Technology 85 10
University of Central Florida 84 43
The Ohio State University 84 18
Brigham Young University - Idaho 84 16
New York University 84 19
California State University, Northridge 84 12
Appalachian State University 84 18
Boston University 84 14
University of Oklahoma 84 11
The University of Texas at Dallas 84 75
Old Dominion University 84 10
Missouri State University 84 10
Rowan University 84 26
West Chester University of Pennsylvania 84 11
University of Maryland Baltimore County 84 20
Montana State University-Bozeman 84 12
Savitribai Phule Pune University 84 12
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham 84 11
Sathyabama University 84 11
Texas A&M University 83 35
Indiana University Bloomington 83 19
Auburn University 83 12
Oregon State University 83 41
University of Arkansas 83 15
Kansas State University 83 17
California State University San Marcos 83 16
University of Wyoming 83 10
Illinois Institute of Technology 83 17
KL University 83 39
PES University 83 25
CVR College of Engineering, Hyderabad 83 10
Gitam University, Hyderabad 83 14
University of Colorado Boulder 82 33
Tennessee Technological University 82 12
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 82 17
Wentworth Institute of Technology 82 10
University of Illinois Springfield 82 10
Louisiana State University 81 12
San Diego State University 81 17
George Mason University 81 32
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 81 11
University of Nevada-Las Vegas 81 23
Mississippi State University 81 13
Bowling Green State University 81 15
Weber State University 81 15
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University 81 82
University of Georgia - Franklin College of Arts and Sciences 81 18
Vellore Institute of Technology 81 35
Florida International University 80 32
Temple University 80 15
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 80 28
University of California, Santa Cruz 80 48
University of Mumbai 80 17
Visvesvaraya Technological University 80 32
University of Arizona 79 18
Texas State University 79 25
Northern Illinois University 79 10
California State University, Fresno 79 10
North Dakota State University 79 10
University of Hawaii at Manoa 79 14
California State University, Monterey Bay 79 15
Lovely Professional University 79 18
University of California, Riverside 78 21
University of Kentucky 78 13
Boise State University 78 14
SRM University 78 34
JNTUH College of Engineering Hyderabad 78 64
Georgia State University 77 30
Ball State University 77 10
Western Washington University 77 22
Rutgers University 77 20
University of Vermont 77 14
Washington University in St. Louis 77 14
New Jersey Institute of Technology 77 23
Princeton University 77 10
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada 77 23
Florida State University 76 18
Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick 76 18
Anna University 76 18
University of North Texas 75 22
Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya 75 13
Texas Tech University 74 23
Kennesaw State University 74 20
California State University, Long Beach 74 14
Stanford University 74 13
Osmania University 74 28
University of Houston 73 31
California State University-Sacramento 73 37
University of California, San Diego 73 10
Sreenidhi Institute of Science and Technology 73 11
San Francisco State University 72 22
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 72 50
Oakland University 72 12
Columbia University in the City of New York 72 11
University of Washington Tacoma 72 14
East Carolina University 71 10
California State University, Fullerton 71 20
Queens College 71 19
University of California, Irvine 71 11
University of Maryland Global Campus 71 13
Andhra University 71 10
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 70 31
Towson University 70 14
Sathyabama Institute of Science & Technology, Chennai 70 12
Western Governors University 68 28
Tufts University 68 11
Southern New Hampshire University 66 21
University of Nebraska at Omaha 66 10
University of Houston-Downtown 66 11
Florida Atlantic University 65 22
Troy University 65 10
University of Central Arkansas 63 10
University of Maryland University College 62 14
DeVry University 61 16
California State University-San Bernardino 60 11
University of Phoenix 57 14
Hunter College 47 11