Is it really that easy to enter finance at that level (or at all), or even get a job at Google for $200k&#x2F;year? I don&#x27;t think it&#x27;s that automatic unless your background is one that includes the &quot;correct&quot; college, an affluent background, and more.<p>Many people end up pursuing an advanced degree in this field because they want to break into a new industry, make themselves more appealing to employers and make more money.  If you can do a master&#x27;s while working, you don&#x27;t end up with 2+ years of lost salary as well.<p>Maybe I&#x27;m doing it wrong, but I don&#x27;t have a computer science degree and I currently find myself considering a master&#x27;s for those reasons. It would be nice to avoid having to go that route.