With salaries and workforce demand for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates at an all-time high, two red-hot majors that prospective students must be familiar with are Computer Science and Computer Engineering. Unfortunately, due to overlapping coursework and the wide leeway schools have in developing IT curricula, many prospects are confused about what these programs entail.
I'm often asked "what's the difference between CS and CE degrees?" Both majors are heavy in theory and practical application, which is vital for building a strong knowledge base for a range of IT careers, however, the key difference is that computer science focuses on software, while computer engineering is more about the hardware.
Computer Science vs Computer Programming
What’s the difference between computer science and computer programming? Aside from having a large gap in salary, the two fields also have different job descriptions where the latter mostly focuses on application and implementation, and the former is more focused on theorizing, and formulating algorithms. Don’t get me wrong though, computer science also involves programming and architectural design, but only to an extent where scientists may learn the processes they need to design a working program. Computer programmers on the other hand will do most or all of the codes to come up with the program designed by a computer scientist or a software engineer.
An important thing one might want to know about computer science and computer programming, is that they differ in syllabi in various universities. So if you want to grab a degree in either field, it is best that you check the syllabi/courses offered by these universities to make sure you’re heading in the right direction.
What is the Difference between Information Technology and Computer Science?
If you have an interest in computer hardware and software but you aren’t sure which career path to choose, you probably want to learn about information technology (IT) and computer science. These two rewarding careers each require a slightly different set of skills, and they each appeal to a somewhat different type of person. An IT career involves installing, organizing and maintaining computer systems as well as designing and operating networks and databases. Computer science is focused entirely on efficiently programming computers using mathematical algorithms.
An IT career doesn’t necessarily require a computer science (CS) degree, although a CS degree opens certain doors that otherwise wouldn’t be available. IT professionals typically work in a business environment installing internal networks and computer systems and perhaps programming. Computer scientists work in a wider range of environments, ranging from businesses to universities to video game design companies. Both of these careers have excellent growth potential and high salaries, with software developers somewhat ahead of IT professionals in earnings.