Will there be a day when theorists (not applied scientists) make as much money as?

flyingpig

Will there be a day when theorists (not applied scientists) make as much money as applied scientists?

So what do I mean by that?

Will biologists ever make as much money as doctors, surgeons, and psychiatrists?

Will physicists ever make as much money as engineers?

Will chemists ever make as much money as pharmacists?

Oh and I am just asking this because my parents and grandparents looks down on me because I don't make as much money as my brother whom has not even been pass high school and is working as a translator and is making more than I am...

He is also better in sports than I am...sigh

fasterthanjoao

No, certainly not any time soon anyway. Supply and demand is one reason.

Klockan3

No, not unless you adopt a communism similar to Soviet. Theorists aren't well paid since everyone benefits from their discoveries anyways so there is no capitalist reason to do it for companies and the State sees quantity as more important than quality which is reasonable since you won't get much more quality by paying theorists more.

flyingpig

What about World War II? Huge demand for chemists??? I am sure Oppenheimer was quite wealthly?

If there was a World War III, you think this might change?

fasterthanjoao

If there is a sudden, unexplained, hyper-demand for a particular brand of science, then yes, clearly the salary will go up. I'd bet on this never happening. Suggesting something like world war III as a hope that you might be able to make a good wage is ludicrous. You've taken part in enough threads on this forum to know that you don't go in to science for money - if you're that concerned about your families perception of you based on your wages, go in to law or medicine - then I can as-good-as guarantee that you'll be making the same money as those doctors and you don't have to hope for a world war.

Also, no, many famous scientists back-when were not wealthy. Depending on your baseline, you could point out that many famous scientists today are not 'wealthy' (though my career potential earnings are much less than six figures and I'm satisfied that I'm well-off) - it would take one man solving all of the worlds problems for a scientist to be paid movie-star salaries for instance.

Sankaku

If there is a World War III, no-one will care anymore. Be very careful what you hope for.

Noxide

It is true that historically those who dabble with theory never make much money, but it's not about the money.