Yes indeed ! There is a huge range in ability of CS graduates. Some just take courses and sit exams. Others do all the projects and in addition side-projects

Yes indeed ! There is a huge range in ability of CS graduates. Some just take courses and sit exams. Others do all the projects and in addition side-projects, etc. The latter would of course be far better paid and more able to choose between job offers. If you haven't yet enrolled in a CS course and are asking the question out of curiosity, then my advice would be to choose a field that you can actually be interested in. Regardless of the career path, you will be more successful if you seek to make a valuable contribution.