Hello
I am trying to decide my major and want to know what the career path looks like for a MIS/CIS major. I know that there are many many different paths and jobs to take but I would like to know what would be the jobs I can get after I first graduate and the average pay, ie system analyst; and after 5 years of experience what jobs am I qualified for, ie IT manager etc; and finally after 10 years of experience what am I qualified for ie CTO etc. I don't want to be a system analyst for 10 years. I want to know if theres possiblity for movement up the "so called ladder". Sorry if this sounds confusing but an example would be lets say I become an accountant. After I graduate, I article at a CA firm for 2 years making 50K-70K, then I become a CA and after 5 years of experience I can apply for jobs such as controller or Financial manager making 100,000K+ , then after 10 years I can apply for jobs such a CFO or Director of Finance etc.
I would also like to know if CIS/MIS graduates know how to program in languages that a CS major would know how to? AND what the job prospects for a CIS/MIS grad are. Are there lots of jobs open to CIS majors? Do they choose CS majors over CIS/MIS majors since they know how to program more? I know it depends on the job, but I've
heard that usually CS majors and CIS/MIS majors compete for the same jobs so I'm kinda wondering who they choose first.
To be frank, I'm scared that CIS/MIS get the low end jobs such as an helpdesk analyst and are not hired because they lack the programming skills that CS majors aqquire. AND i'm also worried that CIS/MIS majors won't get the "higher" jobs like IT manager or [dont know anymore :P please if you can name a few higher positions] and instead CS majors will get them instead. I say this because I always see job advertisements saying that the requirements are a CS degree OR CompE degree or equivalent expereince and never a MIS/CIS degree.
Finally, IF CIS/MIS majors aren't as adept in programming as CS majors are, Can I just Major in CIS/MIS and for my options take all the programming language courses that a CS major would do and Simply have the best of both worlds?
Sorry for the long post
Thank you so much for your replies