do i need a degree to become a computer programmer?

Answer 1

I've been working as a software developer for the past 10 years in Atlanta. I quit high school, got a GED, and do NOT have a degree. However, I've been programming since I was a teen in the 90s, and I simply showed them what I'm capable of, rather than showing them a fancy piece of paper. For many people, what you're capable of doing is more important than what a paper suggests that you may or may not know. If you take the time to learn how to program, and put that knowledge into active experience, that'll take you further than any piece of paper pretending to express what you can do.

Besides, why would I pay tens of thousands of dollars to have someone tell me what I need to be reading? I already know what I need to read, and I have the internet, so there is no excuse for me to not obtain all (more) knowledge than I would if I was at school. If you don't know what to read, go to any college website and read their curriculum for their courses. Then just google books on ALL of the courses there and read them. Even in the 90s, there was no excuse for me to not spend $20 to obtain one of Sam's books on programming. If you do this, you'll become a master programmer without having to spend insane amounts of money.

Answer 2

No.
You need knowledge and practice.

Anyone can become a computer programmer :D

But you'll need to study to improve your chance of getting a job