Why Is Demand for Software Engineers Growing Faster Than Computer Engineers?

[avant-garde]

I was just wondering, but why is the demand for computer scientists (well actually it says "software engineers") projected to grow at a much faster rate than that of computer engineers?

I thought that most comp sci grads go into applications programming, who can basically become replaced by newer grads much easier than computer engineers get replaced. Thus, a career in comp engineering would be a better long-term investment, no?

 

[DavidSnider]

Because there are far more applications that need to be built than computers that need to be designed.

 

[D H]

You need to use the right terms. Then again, so does BLS (they lump computer scientists and database administrators in the same category).

Computer science ≠ computer engineer ≠ software engineering ≠ information technologies.

The demand for computer scientists per se is rather low. Most comp sci graduates go into something other than computer science. Computer programming, for example.

Software engineers need to know how to program but it is not the core of what they do. While many computer programmers do call themselves software engineers, most haven't the foggiest idea what software engineering is. Do you?

Computer engineers do not need to know how to program, period. (It is nonetheless a good idea for them to have this skill.)

 

[avant-garde]

Because there are far more applications that need to be built than computers that need to be designed.

Hmm... but this does not merit a stable job, does it? It seems to me that C. Engineering would usually bring a more stable job than software engineering...