Competition is there , you need to prove you are competent in either way . Speak to those who have done phd in CS understand perspectives most importantly if you have or develop research aptitude you dont need a phd degree 5 yrs in school would be waste of time. MS with thesis should suffice , in US there are lot of applied scientist roles which take undergrads . The country i come from has just 5-10% opportunities in research compared to US & salary is horrible