PhD in electronics engineering, where, why

[w.shockley]

Hi, I'm an italian electronics engineer. I got the bachelor degree, and the next year I'll get the master degree.
Electronics and Physics fascinate me. I'd like to work in the research environment, but I'm not sure about this choice.
In Italy the situation for researchers is not good (see brain drain).
Additionally, in Italy (i don't know if also in other countries) a company sees a PhD like a waste of time, it's not considered as an added value.
I'd like to know where the researcher job is remunerative, and let me know what you advise me to do.

 

[kramer733]

Then come to USA or Canada

 

[w.shockley]

how much a PhD is paid from univerisity, in USA?

 

[MATLABdude]

Or into Germany, France, the UK, even Poland.

Most places, your stipend (assuming you get one) usually allows you to cover your living expenses. Usually.

 

[w.shockley]

So,
a PhD is a waste of time (and money)?

 

[kramer733]

Depends if you're really interested in what you're studying.

 

[MATLABdude]

Who said the Ph.D. is a waste of time and money? If your passion is in research or teaching, then you should pursue a Ph.D. However, you (usually) don't go into academia for the money, and you're usually not going to be making very much while you're pursuing your Ph.D.

AFTER your Ph.D. (or Master's) will you make more in industry than someone who didn't go to graduate school? Usually. Massively more? No (unless you have some really specialized knowledge, or something you came up with in academia got patented or bought up). I don't know what you mean by 'remunerative' research jobs, but if that's your primary motivation, I'd say you should probably go into industry.

EDIT: That's the near-universal graduate student experience: short of having a massive scholarship or two, or industrial collaboration where you get paid engineering wages by a company, you're usually not making very much (though it's usually enough to live on).