Which engineering major is right for me?

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    Engineering Major
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around choosing an engineering major, specifically comparing computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and civil engineering. Participants explore job security, salary expectations, and personal interests in relation to these fields.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about the differences between computer programming and software engineering, noting concerns about job security and salary in computer science.
  • Another participant argues that computer programming typically requires less education and offers lower job security and pay compared to software engineering and computer science.
  • A third participant asserts that electrical engineering is not inherently harder than other engineering disciplines, suggesting that all fields have good job opportunities.
  • There is an emphasis on the importance of personal interest in selecting a major, with a warning that job security and salary alone may not lead to job satisfaction.
  • Links to resources for choosing a major are provided, indicating additional avenues for exploration.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the difficulty of electrical engineering compared to other fields. There are differing opinions on the job security and salary of computer programming versus software engineering, indicating multiple competing views.

Contextual Notes

Some claims about job security and salary are based on general perceptions and may not account for specific regional or market variations. The discussion does not resolve the complexities of each engineering discipline or the nuances of career paths within them.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering a career in engineering, particularly high school students or those contemplating a change in major, may find this discussion relevant.

Ryuk1990
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I'm interested in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and civil engineering. My dad's an electrical engineer(Ph.D) and he says it's so hard that I should stay away from it.

I've heard good things about job opportunities as America is in demand for more engineers. I'm confused about the computer science field though. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that computer programmers will not be as much needed in the future and that the salary is low. However, they state that software engineers make a lot of money and the nation will also be needing more and more software engineers. My question is, what exactly is the difference between a computer programmer and a software engineer?

I just want to get into a career that is secure and gets me a good amount of money.
 
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You can be a computer programmer with a high school degree. This generally involves making bad money and having bad job security. Kids in high school will generally be computer programmers for friends' parents' small businesses and what not. At larger operations, they do grunt work... they read a document about what they're supposed to program, and follow the instructions until the stuff compiles.

Software engineers and computer scientists are in charge of designing the software and solving the computational problems. In theory, you could do both without ever programming. In practice, you will learn a lot about programming as well. This doesn't make it a programming degree... math majors solve lots of equations, but their degree isn't in solving equations. High schoolers can solve equations and get numbers.

Basically, SE and CS are much harder, rewarding, and in demand careers than programming is. Programming is sort of the "burger flipping" of the software world, except the job security isn't as good.
 
Physics Engineer
 
Hey! Electrical is no harder or easier than any of the other disciplines, just different.
Job opportunities for engineers are quite good (I got a job recently :))

"I just want to get into a career that is secure and gets me a good amount of money."

All the engineering fields are pretty good, but make sure to pick what YOU really enjoy doing. Security and money won't help you wake up everyday to go to a boring job.

These sites will help you pick a major:
http://subversiveguidetoeng.blogspot.com/2009/03/picking-majorfield.html
http://www.careercornerstone.org

Good luck!
 
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