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First, some facts. Of the Software Development graduates from Western Governors University 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 20 LinkedIn profiles (see below).
The verdict? Significantly below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 56%, Software Development graduates from Western Governors University have a much lower likelihood (-11%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:
And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.
Also, after graduating, only 15% 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 Software Development graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.
See the details:
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Relevance score: 100% We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.
DEGREE INFOGraduated in 2020 from Western Governors University with a Bachelor of Science - BS in Software Development. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATIONSoftware Engineer Blue Cross of Idaho Jan 2021 - Oct 2021 Software Engineer PlexTrac Oct 2021 - Mar 2023 Software Engineer Collective[i] Mar 2023 - Present ABOUTI'm the creator of https://github.com/Gobusters. Gobusters is a collection of open-source GoLang libraries intended to make life easy. Check it out and consider contributing!Professionally I am a developer who loves building cool software. I am highly user-focused. I love being able to help users have a better time. I excel a problem solving and feature development. I take great pride in writing clean and reusable code. Im always responsive to handling defects and bugs. I never mind tackling tech debt or writing robust unit tests.Im a true full-stack engineer. I dont mind working on front-end or back-end work. I enjoy building out awesome UI designs or normalizing data. As long as its making the product better, Ill do it.Some of the languages/frameworks/libraries I have professional experience with are:- GO (GoLang)- React- Angular 2+- Asp.NET core - Node JS and TS- MySQL, Postgres, Couchbase - GraphQL- Python If you'd like to view some of my personal projects, you can see them here https://ramsey-b.github.io/ |
The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:
After checking out the LinkedIn profiles of graduates from Western Governors University who studied Software Development, it seems like there's a mixed bag when it comes to the types of jobs they've landed. A solid chunk of them have taken roles directly related to software development, like Software Engineer and Developer positions. These jobs usually involve coding and applying the principles they learned during their degree, which pretty much means they’re using their education in a way that makes a lot of sense. For example, many graduates have advanced their careers at entities like Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, where they demonstrated clear software skills in roles such as Systems Analyst and Developer.
However, not all paths have stayed true to the software development route. Some grads have ventured into areas like sales, construction management, or even food service, which—let's be real—don't tap into their software skills at all. It’s a bit like getting all the gear for basketball but ending up playing soccer with friends instead. While jobs like Technical Delivery Lead and Web Development Consultant show there’s definitely a place in tech for many of these graduates, it’s clear that a number of them are using their skills in entirely different fields, which may not be the best use of their talent. Overall, while many are sticking to tech-focused roles, there’s a surprising amount of variance that shows not everyone is directly employing their software development knowledge in their careers.
Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Software Development graduates (this is across all Software Development graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Western Governors University):
Looking at the career trajectories of graduates from Western Governors University who studied Software Development, it seems like there's a mix of successes and some less traditional paths. Many graduates land positions in technology-focused roles right out of college, with roles like Software Engineer, Information Technology System Administrator, and Web Development Consultant appearing fairly frequently within the first few years of graduation. It’s encouraging to see that graduates from 2020 and 2022 have quickly moved into solid tech roles, often transitioning between companies and further advancing their careers within the software field. For instance, someone who moved from a Software Engineer at one company to another in a similar role shows that's a common trajectory.
However, there are also quite a few instances of graduates taking on roles that don’t align directly with software development, such as managers in sales and bartending, which suggests that not everyone is finding their way into tech roles immediately after graduation. It’s not uncommon for people to explore various job paths before honing in on their career in software development. Fast forward a few years later, and many seem to be stabilizing into more relevant positions in tech, often after some trial and error. So, while the path isn’t always straight for every graduate, there’s definitely a good amount of people who end up in roles related to software development or IT after a few years, signaling that the education they received is valuable in getting their foot in the door and advancing over time.
Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Software Development at Western Governors University (WGU) can be a pretty manageable experience, especially if you’re self-motivated. WGU uses a competency-based learning model, meaning you can move through the material at your own pace, which is great if you’re someone who can grasp concepts quickly. However, it can get challenging because the curriculum is designed to be comprehensive and cover a lot of ground, from programming to databases and software design. If you’re dedicated and organized, you might find it easier than a traditional classroom setting since you won't have to juggle a set class schedule. That said, expect to put in some solid effort and time, especially when it comes to projects and hands-on coding work. Overall, whether it feels easy or hard will really depend on your background and how well you like studying independently!
Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 3 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Software Development.
Looking at the job histories of these Software Development graduates from Western Governors University, it seems like many of them are doing pretty well financially, especially those who landed positions as software engineers or in technical roles. While some started in positions that might not pay as well, like a sales consultant or bartender, a good number have quickly transitioned into more lucrative tech jobs, which generally offer solid salaries and growth potential. Graduates from 2020 onward are particularly faring well, with multiple software engineering roles and leadership positions popping up. So, overall, while there may be a mix of early jobs with varying pay, the trend definitely leans towards these grads making decent money as they advance in their careers.
Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Software Development (this is across all Software Development graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Western Governors University). This may or may not be useful:
Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Software Development (ordered by the average relevance score of their Software Development graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:
| College | Score | Count |
|---|---|---|
 Western Governors University
|
56 | 20 |