I obtained my M.S. in Cs in 2015 and have ZERO regrets doing it. My undergrad is B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. In 2000 I got my 1st job as an engineer and af

I obtained my M.S. in Cs in 2015 and have ZERO regrets doing it. My undergrad is B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. In 2000 I got my 1st job as an engineer and after about 6 months was completely bored. This started a series of job jumping for the next 3 years. In 2003 I landed what was supposed to be my dream job of working for a company that makes small, civilian airplanes. Again I hated it. Around 2004 I started taking EMT class, at night, and then paramedic. The county fire department was hiring right when I graduated with my paramedic. The catch was I had to cross train as a fire fighter, which they paid for. I took the chance and loved it. Around 2010 I noticed a lot of people in the FD leaving due to getting hurt, main their backs. As the main, and sometimes sole-, breadwinner I knew I needed a backup plan. I enrolled at DePaul University online and enjoyed every minute of it. I graduated in 2015. In 2017, while working full time as a FF/PM I got a part time remote job as a programmer. In 2020 as everyone knows the pandemic hit. I was already getting tired of the 2 a.m. calls for stupid shit and the threat of the Covid virus was the tipping point. I started sending out resumes for remote, full time developer positions. In June 2020 I landed a job and resigned from the FD after 14+ years. Here we are 9 months later and I do not regret my decision at all. Who would have thought a consistent sleep schedule is magical! :-) My decision to join the FD and time served is probably some of my best years working. I still say that being a FF/PM is the best job in the world but it is a young man's game. So, yeah a masters for me was way worth it. Though I might have been able to land a programming job without one, I needed the degree as much for myself as I did for showing potential employers. Good luck in your decision