Eight High Paying Nontraditional Degrees

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by RAM PhD, Jun 10, 2013.

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  1. RAM PhD

    RAM PhD Member

  2. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I have to throw a little cold water on their optimistic scenario for game-designers. We've had plenty of input here on work in this field. Yes, game designers can make very good money -- once they've survived 6-10 years in the field. There are stories aplenty in this forum to indicate that starting off, more often that not, can mean $10 an hour, a possibly abusive employer and a steady diet of grunt-work...for quite some time. One poster remarked that every 12-year-old wants to be a game designer, with a game that "takes off."

    Johann

    "Code-monkey think maybe Manager
    Wanna write damn log-in page himself!
    Code-monkey not say that ... he not crazy!" (From the song, "Code Monkey")
    :smile:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2013
  3. ryoder

    ryoder New Member

    I don't get it. My company pays CS interns 1K per week and they don't even have to be that close to graduating or have any actual skills. Why would a CS graduate work for $10 per hour?
    You are right about there being too high a supply of would-be game designers and programmers though so its a buyers labor market driving labor costs down.
     
  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I hope most CS grads wouldn't have to. I'm talking specifically game-design. So was the article. Degrees in this specialty are proliferating. I'm not talking here about people who can write your business enterprise programs in Java. They're the ones who can be $50K interns, as you describe.

    And yes - the supply exceeds demand, so starting pay is low. And I don't see that changing any time soon. Apparently, the folks who wrote the article disagree. Maybe they should write a simulation program and see who's right. :jester:

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 11, 2013
  5. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I am actually studying video game design. However, I have no plans to be a video game designer. I am teaching myself to code in Flash Actionscript because I have an idea for an educational application that will require similar programing.

    It is really not that hard to learn, if your mind can handle writing code. So I can see how a large number young people would want to be hot shot video game designers, not that different than the millions who want to be rock stars. Great dream...hard to pull off.
     
  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    That's a great idea. Ingenious and synergistic -- reminds me a little of something I heard/read about the late (genius) Steve Jobs. He studied calligraphy -- and later used the skill he'd acquired from that study to design fonts for his Apple computers. Kudos to you, SurfDoctor!

    And yes - as you say "great dream...hard to pull off." Both rock star and hot-shot designer. Some (very) few actually do it, though.

    I wish you every success with your cool idea.

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 12, 2013
  7. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Wow, thanks for the kind words. Made my whole night!
     

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