Personally, I view colleges in the following way: a) a degree from a top-tier college is a slight plus, because at least someone has screened you before b) a

Personally, I view colleges in the following way: a) a degree from a top-tier college is a slight plus, because at least someone has screened you before b) a degree from the flag ship state school is neutral, because it doesn't really say anything about you b) a degree from a lower tier private college is a slight minus, because it indicates you might not have been smart enough to get into a better college. Of course there could have been other factors, such as location, scholarships, etc. that explain the choice. So I try not to let it bias me. c) no degree is a slight plus, because it means you learned all your skills through self-motivation That said, I try not to pay much attention to degree. I kind of wish people didn't list it at all. The worst interview I've done in the last year was an MIT computer science student. Some of our best developers have been from second or third tier schools. A portfolio or a list of stuff you have actually built is by far the best thing to have on your resume.