If you have a BS in CS already, the only reason I'd recommend taking a coursework-only MS program is if both: 1) Someone else (probably your employer) will pay

If you have a BS in CS already, the only reason I'd recommend taking a coursework-only MS program is if both: 1) Someone else (probably your employer) will pay for it 2) You _know_ it will get you a raise For example, when I was at Lockheed Martin a long time ago, they would pay for a MS and give you a $N raise when you finished it. 100% worth it. I know a bunch of people who worked their ass off getting a MS while working a full-time job only to keep working the same job for the same salary after they got their degree, except now they were saddled with $30K in debt. If you don't have a BS in CS or you're looking to get a masters as a precursor to a PHD, that's probably a different story.