If you're passionate about music and cars, there are plenty of jobs for you, except:
1. You'll need enough know-how to do basic electrical wiring.
2. You'll want to be able to read sheet music.
3. You won't make a lot of money.
4. You will have 12+ hour days most of the time.
5. Most of the money you make will be from car repair.

I have two acquaintances that ride bicycles and teach lessons. After 10 years of it, they're just beyond the point of living paycheck to paycheck. That said, they're both very very talented musicians.

I work in IT (similar work to whiteflash, but more development/engineering oriented), and play professionally about 20 nights a year. I'm now onto conducting my third opera, and am almost making enough money to live on bologna and Cheerios from the music pay alone. My mortgage (stupid), my car, my food and my clothes are all from IT money. The Music money pays for my beer.

There's work out there, but you have to be very creative and resourceful to get the paying work, let alone to live off of it.

I applaud your want to go get a BS in Computer Sciences. Don't let these guys scare you away from the math. If I can get it, you can get it. Start off with codeyear.org and see where you end up.

 

Bump..

Good info in this thread..

Just wanted to ask a question.. I'm currently working toward a BS in comp sci and wanted to ask what would be a good entry-level job to have to prepare for when I do get my degree. I currently work for a bank doing quality control that is totally unrelated to software engineering, development, etc. but it pays the bills currently and my tuition. I don't necessarily have to change jobs but would like to get some ideas as to start to get in line with my major choice.. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thx

 

If you're going to a decent accredited school, and said school has a decent placement program, you need to be interning at software companies right now. That, AND you need to be writing code (apps, ridiculous widgets, drivers). It's a skill and craft; be constantly practicing, and try to find summer opportunities to add to that portfolio of work.

 

Thx for the info.. Yeah I'm in a pretty good university but unsure how good the placement program is (contacted a few people yesterday).

As far as the internship, I'm wondering if I can do a part time internship while I work for the bank.

 

Won't hurt to ask. Also, and I totally spaced on this when I last posted, get involved with a project that interests you within the Open Source community.

 

I'll have my bachelors for Information Systems & Management in about ~9 months from Albright College. I currently work in IT as a Support Technician and i'm interviewing for Jr Systems Administrator positions. With IT, the sky is the limit. You're looking at 70 something thousand a year median salary if you're an average admin.. well over a hundred as a senior level or IT Manager. Get into security or Project Management, and you're looking at deep 100K. All depends on what you like to do. I have a bunch of Microsoft certifications for Server 2012, and also went to a tech school for IT networking through highschool. I enjoy IT but it's not for everyone.

 

our netapp guy makes 110k/yr...Im in the wrong specialization.