The Pragmatic Craftsman :: Simplicity from complexity : by Stanley Kubasek ::

This is a pretty good, useful resource if you’re involved in IT, or planning to become. This handbook shows Computer occupations, their outlook, stats, what to look for and more. Plus, it’s coming from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, so you know it’s legitimate.

Anyway, for computer programmer, they say to expect a 10-20 percent growth (average for other occupations) in 2002-2012 period; there will be increased competition (off-shoring) in the field. The following are their significant points:

• Nearly half of all computer programmers held a bachelor痴 degree in 2002; about 1 in 5 held a graduate degree.
• Employment is expected to grow much more slowly than that of other computer specialists.
• Prospects should be best for college graduates with knowledge of a variety of programming languages and tools; those with less formal education or its equivalent in work experience should face strong competition for programming jobs.

As for software engineers, the outlook seems very good, as they’re projected to be one of the fastest growing fields from 2002 to 2012. The following are their significant points:

• Computer software engineers are projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2002�12 period.
• Highly favorable opportunities are expected for college graduates with at least a bachelor痴 degree in computer engineering or computer science and with practical work experience.
• Computer software engineers must continually strive to acquire new skills in conjunction with the rapid changes in computer technology.

See the report here — Professional and related occupations