Top MSCS or work asap
I’m currently a student at a top CS state school. One of GT/UIUC/UMich/UW/ I graduate BSCS this May but took enough graduate credits in undergrad to where I could finish the MSCS program here by in Jan 2025. taking a few summer classes (while interning) and one extra term. At the same time, I just got accepted to MSCS @ CMU. I hear back from Stanford in a bit but think there’s a decent chance I got in. The MSCS at either one of these schools would take like 1.5 years, so an additional year on top of staying at my school. So 1 year of lost salary and tuition, but better school + I get another intern summer. Is it worth going to the better MSCS programs? I intend to work as a SWE in the ML startup space. I’m expecting good return offer offers in tech (~230k newgrad) so lost time is valuable
If Stanford worth considering
The job market sucks right now and ML jobs are tough to get without a grad degree. An extra semester to get the MS CS from CMU or Stanford is definitely worth it if you’re aiming for an ML SWE position at FAANG++.
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To clarify I’d get an MSCS regardless just at my own school. Also it’s an extra 2 semesters. Still Worth?
If you want to be a SWE in the ML startup space then an MS will probably help you a bit but really a PhD is probably the best if you want to actually do ML stuff. If you just want to be a normal SWE the set of schools you potentially went to are more than enough to secure good enough jobs and imo an MS would be a waste of time. That 1.5 yoe you spend in MS will probably have a large opportunity cost since you could probably get to around 280-300k tc and L4 in the same time it takes you to get a masters. If you want to go to CMU/Stanford for more personal reasons (i.e want to increase your clout), then I think thats valid, but I don't think a (non research) MS will magically make you become good at ML, but it'll most likely get you a few more interviews than you would've with just {UIUC, GT, Mich, UW}.