I can answer as someone who has done hiring. Legally, no they don't care. There will be hiring policies that dictate complete independence of non-relevant fact

I can answer as someone who has done hiring. Legally, no they don't care. There will be hiring policies that dictate complete independence of non-relevant factors Truthfully speaking, as long as you're under 45 and you've done something with your life during your non-working time, you're okay. It really helps if you can have a steady employment history, or at least proof you've been given money for doing something related to your degree, but my experience is that 45 is the first age where questions start to arise. For traditional businesses in the US, longevity and dedication to the company are big. 5 years at a traditional company is considered a short time - the closer you get to retirement, the less you can give the company, and the closer you are to having age related ailments, etc. Age discrimination is very real, especially in tech (and doubly so in programming specifically), but you're well under the limit for most employers. A few start-ups might go cock-eyed at the graduation dates, but start-ups are a different beast entirely.