Less than half of CS PhDs have aspirations to become a professor. Most are dead set on industry -- usually machine learning or cutting-edge technology projects at companies.
> Top companies are even more exclusive than PhD programs in terms of acceptance rate.
False. Do you even know how many people apply online to Uber, Slack, Facebook, and Google? More than the entire population of flagship state universities.
> > you’re strictly more hirable as a PhD graduate or even as a PhD dropout and many companies might be willing to put you in a more interesting position or with a higher starting salary
> This is 100% false. Many many people have found a PhD to be a handicap when it comes to getting a job, particularly in software engineering. A large number of employers have anti-PhD biases which will work against you.
I agree.
> Meanwhile in companies you can have a tangible impact and see real results/credit from it (bonuses, promotions). Not to mention that many universities have draconian IP policies.
The results come from products you did not solely produce. There are plenty of other co-workers or teams which helped contribute large components to your product.