Whether you’re interested in working in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, smart cities, or blockchain, or in a more traditional computer science career, Delaware’s tech employment sector is healthy — great news for students pursuing computer science programs in Delaware.
According to CompTIA, Delaware’s 33,000-plus tech workers make up slightly more than 7 percent of the state’s workforce. The technology industry itself contributed $5.3 billion to Delaware’s economy in 2018.
Delaware’s Technology Education Initiatives
Education and community leaders have established a number of initiatives that are designed to promote technology education in the state, including the pursuit of computer science degree programs in Delaware. Here’s a brief overview of a few of them.
- Offering computer science advanced placement classes: More and more high schools in Delaware are offering computer science AP classes to students. In the 2017-18 school year, 23 schools had these classes.
- Motivating students to pursue STEM careers: FAME, Inc. was established to prepare and motivate students to work in STEM fields after high school. This organization organizes a STEMulate® Change Outreach, college skills prep and course selection workshops, peer counseling, and job readiness workshops.
- Encouraging women to study STEM: Delaware Technical Community College hosts an annual DigiGirlz Day to highlight exciting career opportunities in STEM and help encourage young women to study STEM in college.
Southern New Hampshire University
- Some of the nation’s most affordable tuition rates, from a private, nonprofit, NEASC accredited university
- Qualified students with 2.5 GPA and up may receive up to $20K in grants & scholarships
- Multiple term start dates throughout the year. 24/7 online classroom access
- Offering over 200 online degree programs
Purdue University Global
- Experience world-class education online with more than 175 programs at associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels.
- Apply eligible work experience and prior college credits toward up to 75% of your undergraduate degree.
- You have the option of trying out a Purdue Global undergraduate program for an introductory 3-week period. There’s no cost beyond the application fee.
- Competency-based ExcelTrack™ programs may allow you to earn your degree faster and for less money
Spotlight on Computer Sciences Schools in Delaware
These computer science schools in Delaware offer campus-based and online IT programs that are particularly noteworthy.
- University of Delaware: At UD, students can pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science and participate in various research opportunities. They may also earn credit by studying abroad. In addition, students can customize their degree program to align with their interests, such as focusing on concentrations like artificial intelligence, software engineering or game design.
- Wilmington University: WilmU offers a computer science program where students can earn their bachelor’s degree in less than four years by using their professional experience, certifications, and licenses to receive up to 90 credits. The school also offers an undergraduate cybersecurity degree program, which aims to prepare students to sit for industry-recognized certifications like Linux+, CISA, and Security+.
- Delaware Technical Community College: The associate degree program in computing and information science at Delaware Tech focuses on designing and programming workplace applications, analyzing operating systems and software development platforms, and other competencies. Upon completing this program, students may choose to transfer into another college and earn a four-year degree.
IT Salaries and Career Outlook in Delaware
Jobs for software and web developers as well as information security analysts are projected to experience significant growth in Delaware.
Some of the Wilmington-based companies that are likely to hire these types of tech professionals include SevOne, an IT and infrastructure management company in Newark, LabWire, an organization that develops automation software for laboratory information systems, MySherpa, an IT management provider, and MAAN Softwares, a web development company.
Career | Annual Median Wage |
---|---|
Information Security Analysts | $106,850 |
Database Administrators and Architects | $88,460 |
Computer Network Architects | $130,740 |
Web Developers and Digital Interface Designers | $76,020 |
Computer Programmers | $78,110 |
Computer Network Support Specialists | $58,350 |
Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $107,730 |
Computer Systems Analysts | $93,550 |
Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $75,370 |
2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov.
Computer Science Scholarships for Delaware Students
To make online computer science programs in Delaware more affordable, there are program- and state-specific scholarships students can apply for such as:
- Technology Scholarship: Wilmington University offers a College of Technology scholarship to an eligible undergraduate or graduate student in a technology degree program. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required.
- Crowe Family Scholarship: The University of Delaware manages this award, which is granted to an undergraduate in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences. Preference is given to students who have been impacted by pediatric cancer.
- Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship: Computer science students (and other STEM majors) who plan to pursue a teaching career may want to apply for this award, administered by Delaware State University. Eligible students may receive $20,000 while they complete their teaching certification requirements.
Delaware Professional Organizations and Resources
Students enrolled in IT schools in Delaware may find it helpful to participate in opportunities offered by these field- and career-related organizations.
- Technology Forum of Delaware: Comprised of a diverse group of corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and technology leaders from small and large corporations, this consortium focuses on sharing technology-related best practices, trends, and opportunities with its members.
- University of Delaware – Association for Computing Machinery: This ACM student chapter is specifically designed for computer science students and hosts conferences, workshops, networking events, and hack-a-thons for its members.
- Delaware Technology Park: This nonprofit research park in Newark partners with the University of Delaware, the state government, and private businesses to create technology jobs and host special events.
Sources
- 2019 State of Computer Science Education, Code.org, Accessed October 2019, https://advocacy.code.org/2019_state_of_cs.pdf
- Association for Computing Machinery, University of Delaware, Accessed December 2019, https://studentcentral.udel.edu/organization/associationforcomputingmachinery
- B.S. in Computer Science, Wilmington University, Accessed December 2019, https://www.wilmu.edu/technology/computer-network-security.aspx
- Computer Science, University of Delaware, Accessed December 2019, https://www.udel.edu/apply/undergraduate-admissions/major-finder/computer-science/
- Computing and Information Science, Delaware Technical Community College, Accessed December 2019, https://www.dtcc.edu/academics/programs-study/computing-and-information-science
- Crowe Family Scholarship, University of Delaware, Accessed December 2019, https://www.udel.edu/students/student-financial-services/additional-scholarships/
- Delaware Technology Park, Accessed December 2019, https://deltechpark.org/
- DigiGirlz Day 2019, Delaware.Gov, Accessed October 2019, https://digiknow.dti.delaware.gov/pages/DigiGirlz/2019/default.shtml
- FAME, Inc., Accessed October 2019, https://www.famedelaware.org/
- New Report Details Impact of Delaware’s Tech Industry, CompTIA, Accessed October 2019, https://www.comptia.org/newsroom/press-releases/2019/03/26/new-report-details-impact-of-delaware-s-tech-industry
- Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, Delaware State University, Accessed December 2019, https://cast.desu.edu/students/scholarships/robert-noyce-teacher-scholarship
- Technology Forum of Delaware, Accessed December 2019, http://www.techforumde.org
- Wilmington University Scholarships, Wilmington University, Accessed December 2019, https://www.wilmu.edu/scholarships/annualfund_scholarships.aspx