Ask HN: Should I do a Masters Degree?

Dont do it unless you want to make inroads into academia or better your chances for working at Google/Microsoft/BigCorp. I have a BS with about 5-6 years of experience and I lead/manage a couple people with MS degrees. In other words Ive found that having an MS makes little difference as a signal to an employer in most cases if you already have a BS in CS. Your ability and connections seem to be the most important thing so if you think an MS will enhance either of those it might be worth it but it also could very well end up being money down the drain.

I think given current internet world and the direction most of the software giants are taking, it is a good idea to take the time and study further into distributed systems. I agree that you learn a lot on the job but there is something to be said about the importance of having sound fundamentals. I went through a similar phase and ended up going for a MS in distributed systems and have never regretted that decision. It makes you think more concretely and exposes you to things that make you think of scalability, complexity, high performance, high availability and other aspects that are the essentials of any complex (more importantly - any system of importance) that we think of.<p>So, bottom line, go for a Masters but choose your subjects/areas of concentration wisely and remember that you are there for digging deeper not wider.

Work for few years (around 3-4) then do Masters. You would have a better idea about the topic you wish to pursue in depth.