I have an AAS in Computer Information Systems. Quite frankly it may get you in the door, but it isn't going to get you very far.

You have no professional experience in the field? By professional experience, I mean holding a job title and working in the field for which your going to get a degree for.

If you answered no, then expect to be paid as if you were a early 20-something kid who just found there way out from under their mommy's skirt.

The advantage to an AAS is the cost of education vs. the benefits/earnings potential granted. Dollar for Dollar its probably one of the most effective degrees. The alternative being just having a H.S. diploma.

The reality of our current employment scenario and the current utter greed going with businesses as they continue to drive down wages while increasing margins and leveraging the current employment scenario to there advantage.

Analyst speak for its an employer's market right now. Wages are flat if not declining, Cost of Living (Food/Shelter/Energy) are on the rise. Compensation packages are a joke right now, and quite frankly the powers that be intend to keep it that way for as long as possible.

So, after all that doom and gloom, lets see what plays to your advantage. In our current economic situation, if you can hold out and make it financially, then you want as much schooling as you can get and try to work some internships along the way in the field your studying in so that you can show professional experience.

In the hardware world, certs are important. Quite honestly you are 10x's better off in the hardware world as opposed to the code and development world. Code monkeys are a dime a dozen, a quality hardware person is worth there weight in gold.

As far as your education goes, ideally you want a B.S., not a B.A., you want to walk away with dual degrees. AAS in Computer Science, a B.S. in Computer Science, several Certs, and a MINOR in business. If you map out your progression from the start and the plan is to get your B.S. then you can filter in at the Community College level the vast amount of requirements for the minor in Business. So when you do get to your Bachelor degree you can slip in the remaining classes needed for your minor as your FLUFF classes. It all depends on where you transferring from and to. That is the other part of this equation. You want to take the time to do the leg work in your master plan to figure out how your going to matriculate from C.C. to a University and what transfers. You want to maximize your time at C.C. at the lower per unit cost value and continue to leverage your investment through your cost structure per unit at the University level.

How do I know this works....I did it myself. I walked away with an A.A.S in Computer science, spent 3 years at a C.C. wracking up over 120 transferable credits and reducing my overall cost of education. I then leveraged myself as a transfer to a State University and then spent the next 3 years getting TWO B.S. degrees, while working 3/4 time. Was it a massive pain in the ass? You bet is was, but to be successful you have to have a solid reasonably executable plan, and the willingness to sacrifice to make it happen. No one, and I mean no one is going to make this happen for you. Its up to you to seize the opportunity when it presents itself and make it work to your advantage by your own effort and will.


So lets sum it up...

Hardware > Software
AAS > H.S. Diploma
Professional Exp > AAS
B.S. > A.A.S

Tasorin > All

Don't make me have'ta Troll ya Bro!