Royal Flush of Certs and Experience VS. Masters in CS

Who has a better shot at a job. In generalities......

I'm curious because I dropped out of college to get involved with a startup, got tons of experience, and also worked at a large hosting company doing sales and engineering... I even did work on the migration of a foreign government's websites to our datacenter, including a load balancing, IPS, firewalls, and multisite setup (meaning its mirrored across multiple DC's)

I'm trying to build up "paper" credibility because even though i have great experience, I have almost no college credits to supplement. I'm afraid people may think I gained all the experience "flying by the seat of my pants" and basically got lucky by making a few great plays. You can see what I have in my profile so far, (passed A+ core, working on A+ OS right now). I'd like to knock out the rest of the certs by June 19 (my 25 bday). Keep in mind, I have experience in all the cert areas, so I have a headstart on those starting from scratch. (11 certs to take yet)

I'm asking this because my friend's are getting their master's degrees and even though I have important real world experience and they don't, I can't help but feel like I'm behind.........

Anyways,

Contestent #1
A+, Net+, Server+, iNet+, Security+, Linux+, Project+
MCSE
CCNA

VS.

Contestent #2
Masters in Computer Science

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Comments

2lazybutsmart

Contestant #3

Bachelors in Computer Science
A+, Net+, Server+, iNet+, Security+, Linux+, Project+, MCSE, CCNA

or even

Contestant #4

Assocaites in Computer Sciences
A+, Net+, Server+, iNet+, Security+, Linux+, Project+, MCSE, CCNA

..could challenge the guy with only the masters degree on the field. But if that masters degree holder chooses to get those certs...you're not in good hands.

and I think a masters degree holder is over qualified to be looking at hands-on things on the field. Those kind of people swing in leather chairs in one of those skyscrapers down there; although things have deteriorated as of late.

2lbs.

garv221

I agree with the degrees. Its only time before someone with a degree gets experience & certs & then has all bases covered. I didn't get a bachelors degree because it seemed to much so I stuck with an Associates to be safe. I also think the IT field is the one of the very few fields where a degree doesn't matter all the time. It just depends.

keenon

master degree with no experience = entry level management
experience and certs= engineer/administrator/project manager

i don't think i could ever like being a management yes man,

i prefer working and knowing/learning the technolgy than the concepts