Are ransomware groups like Lockbit etc run by professional programmers?

Do you guys think these large groups are run by actual programmers with university degrees in CS? I understand the low-level employees like the operators don't have to have any IT knowledge coz they'll just follow their handbook like Corti's got released, however the ones writing the programs: do you think they're entirely self-taught or do you believe they actually are professional programmers?

cybersecurity don employees etc handbook knowledge large lockbit low ransomware ransomware groups run self-taught understand university writing