With all due respect, you are not going to get a valid answer here in HN. What you will get is a lot of answers trying to help but resulting in a lot of noise.

With all due respect, you are not going to get a valid answer here in HN. What you will get is a lot of answers trying to help but resulting in a lot of noise. Programming is a very wide field. You can choose a lot of different things to learn and specialize. You don't need to learn everything now. You have all your life. Now my quota of noise :D Focus on getting a solid background, forget about the languages. Languages come and go. Operating systems too. With a good background you can learn any programming language in "almost" no time. From higher to lower level I would learn: - Algebra (vectors, boolean, sets, etc.). - Algorithms (recursion, tree/graph handling, etc.) - Operating systems theory (resources, I/O, memory and process management). OK, too generic. So, you will need to learn some language to practice your theoretical knowledge. This is what I'd like to suggest: - At least one systems language (C, etc.) even if you never have to use it. - At least one OO language (C++, Java, Ruby, ...). - An interpreted scripting language is always good to know (Perl, Python, shell, ...). - Bonus: A functional language (Lisp, Haskell, ...). It will make you a better programmer but it will alienate you to the point of seeing other non-functional programmers as low skilled blue-collar workers :P There ain't no such things as a "best language". A programming language suits well to some tasks and not so well to others. Don't be a language racist. I will add some non-technical subject to the pack: - Learn how to deal with people. Not everybody is skilled in this field and it is always useful. People is very different and you will have coworkers. Try to create a smooth relationship with them. It will make your life and your coworkers' life better. A lot of techie guys underestimate this.