Comment by InefficientRed

> so many people are who are months away from finishing a master's in computer science

Because by hiring masters degree interns you're not exactly scraping the cream off the top...

Masters degrees in Computer Science -- unless used as an immigration thing -- make no sense.

The make no sense for the research route -- in CS in the USA, you go straight to a (zero tuition + living wage stipend) PhD from undergraduate. No reason to pay for a master's degree.

The make no sense for the SWE route either.

Masters students are mostly in it for either a domestic degree or because they couldn't find a (good enough) job out of undergraduate.

Most departments know this and treat their MS program as a total cash cow.