The popularity of online technology degrees continues to escalate. However some majors are seeing more demand than others. What’s hot in tech degrees includes the management of technology, the management of information systems, general computer science, and computer security. What’s not hot includes degrees in e-commerce and computer related engineering.

GetEducated.com, LLC, America’s leading consumer-oriented, online degree clearinghouse, has uncovered the following trends among those seeking graduate degrees online:

Top 10 Online Computer Science Majors:

1) Computer Information Systems

2) Management of Technology

3) Management of Information Systems

4) Computer Science (General)

5) Computer Science Internet Technologies

6) Computer Programming

7) Computer Network Management

8) Computer Security

9) Database Technologies

10) E-Commerce

"What is striking about this year’s survey is the fierce competition among the top 5 contenders," comments GetEducated.com’s CEO, Vicky Phillips. Phillips has been analyzing online degrees since 1989. "Consumers are equally interested in general degrees in Computers & Information Systems with a strong preference for degrees that emphasize managerial practice."

"What we see in these trends is a mirror of the national job market" comments Phillips. Managerial degrees emphasize problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. These skills transfer across technology specialties. "Employers today will pay a premium for someone who presents with hard tech skills topped off by the ability to motivate others and manage large scale projects."

Dropping to the bottom of this year’s Top 10 List is E-commerce (ranked 10th) and majors in traditional hard-core science fields such as Electrical Engineering (ranked 11^th) and Computer Engineering (ranked 13^th).

"Logically, engineering majors should be experiencing a zenith. The career field itself remains robust and pay levels are promising," comments Phillips. "Yet these degrees come in with markedly minimal interest compared to generalist IT degrees and technology laced managerial degrees."

"People who earned their undergraduate degrees in discrete tech areas such as electrical engineering may see a more flexible career future and better pay in a Master’s in Technology Management than in a Master’s in Electrical Engineering in today’s tight job climate," interprets Phillips.

In addition, graduate level computer engineering programs traditionally employ more astringent admission requirements than business oriented programs discouraging application from prospective students who may not have earned undergraduate degrees in a discrete engineering discipline.

E-Commerce appears to have fallen out of favor, coming in at a very distant #10. Taking it’s place is Computer Security. Phillips predicts that programs in this major area will see swelling demand over the next 3 years due to rising security threats post 9-11.

"The interest in online graduate school remains strong," summarizes Phillips. "Consumers see degrees that emphasize managerial skills as more valuable at the grad level than those that teach tech skills. This makes sense when you look at the educational background of CTOs." She points to a 2002 InfoWorld Survey that uncovered that 73% of corporate CTOs do not hold any specific technical certification. Leaders in today’s technology marketplace tend to be managers and motivators first, technicians second, if at all.

Note: The results of this study are based on surveys of online users of GetEducated.com’s free downloadable college guidebook, Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools, Technology 2004, The survey covers a three month period of February 15-May 15, 2004 and involved 1,200 potential online graduate students.

GetEducated.com’s Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools, Technology, is a free downloadable college guidebook to 80+ graduate schools (USA) that offer online degrees, including online masters and doctorates, in computer science, engineering, and allied support fields. The guidebook is available FREE for download at: http://www.geteducated.com/bdlgs_tech.asp