<p>I'm really really having a hard time trying to decide whether I want to be either an E Engineer, Dentist, or Surgeon. Here are the pros and cons as I see it to each one:</p>
<p>EE:
pros:
-decent hours
-decent pay
-very very interesting stuff
-very good job outlook</p>
<p>cons (these are my big worries, otherwise I would be set on EE):
-Outsourcing
-Although pay is decent, its hard to get to 120k, which is where I want to be.
-I want to move up into consulting, but engineering is full of the best and the brightest people compared to medicine or law. I'm not the most naturally talented person, and although I work hard, wouldn't my lack of ability force me out of these types of jobs?</p>
<p>Medicine:
Pros:
-Always been interested in the human body
-Amazing pay
Cons:
-Stiff competition for all the specialities I like
-very long
-malpractice</p>
<p>Dentistry:
Pros:
-Very Good Pay
-Very Good Hours
-Not as long as medicine</p>
<p>Cons:
-The subject isn't that interesting
-Oral surgery is hard to obtain, so there are no guarentees I will get it.</p>
<p>I'm sure there must have been someone who has struggled with this decision before, so can you tell me about the pay in EE, because unfortunately, thats the biggest thing I'm worried about (its sad but true). I'm not asking for a mansion or something, but I would like to drive a fully loaded Honda Civic (which are actually around 26k nowadays, be able to afford a nice house, have a nice TV, etc. I'm not asking for top of the line ferrari, but just something where I can live very comfortably without fear of getting outsourced. How attainable is this in EE given I wont be going to Stanford or MIT, but could get into a good school like GaTech or Purdue or something like that?</p>
<p>Do whatever it is that you like. Seriously, money cannot buy happiness; it sounds like you are much more interested in EE or medicine, so go for whichever would make you happier.</p>
<p>Take MD or DDS. Even general medicine will pay more than engineering - and you will not be a commodity and laid off at 45 when your job is outsourced. </p>
<p>In Ontario, up until the early 1960's engineers made more than GP's. Today, GP's make at least double or tripe most engineers. While in theory, both medicine and engineering are professions, medicine and dentistry are far more stable and lucrative careers. </p>
<p>The problem, at least n Canada, is that there are far too many engineers. In fact, membership in provinical organizations has soared. It is like printing too much money, the value of each dollar printed goes down and buys less and less. Same thing - too many engineers chasing too few jobs with devastating impact on salaries. Economists say gold is inflation proof and has been a hedge against inflation for years. Inflation is a form of wealth confiscation because it robs people of the value of their savings. Too many engineers on the market lowers the value of each degree</p>
<p>Too many engineers is inflation and the MD or DDS is the gold.</p>
<p>I agree that you shouldn't do dentistry if the stuff isn't interesting.</p>
<p>Major in EE undergraduate and take the pre-med requirements to keep options open. Perhaps start with a 4-year BA in engineering and apply for med school (if you decide that's the career path you want). If you don't get in first year, complete the fifth year BSEE and decide there.</p>
<p>Engineers after college start at 60k. After a master's it's around 80k. With a few years of experience that exceeds 100k. You can easily live an excellent life with 100k. A family income of 150k puts you in the top 5% or so of US household income.</p>
<p>Don't worry too much about outsourcing. Unemployment for engineers is still very low. College graduate unemployment is about 2.6%, and it should be even lower for engineers. The 2.6% is mostly due to seasonal shifts and people who just aren't employable (bad work habits, poor communication skills, etc.) If you can survive medical school, you won't be outsourced as an engineer.</p>
<p>Outsourcing is real but it does not happen often for young engineers, while Medical and Dentisty maybe better when you have more experience. Think about it, who wants to be operated by a new intern, you want somebody with experience to operate on you.
The engineering salary you stated is doable but don't forget engineering salary in general will be stalled for a while as you get older, I mean it does not go up linearly, unless you work for a company that grants you stock options.
Salary is relative to COL(Cost of Living), where you live dictates what salary you should expect. For example, If you live in New York city your salary should be higher. Keep that in mind when you think of your actual salary.</p>
<p>My doctor said not to go into medicine unless you really, really want it. She said the insurance companies are not reimbursing like they used to and it's tougher financially now for doctors. She works in a large group. I've also read editorials on this by the doctors concerning Medicare reimbursement. She called dentistry "cash-based" vs. "insurance-based", and said dentists/orthodontists are doing well. </p>
<p>If you really want the money, consider pharmacy. Six years of school and you'll make over 100K as a starting salary. PharmD colleges have 100% placement rates. If you decide this is for you, it's easier to get into pharmacy school as a freshmen in a 0-6 year pharmD program. Many pharmacists only work part-time because the salaries are so high and most likely because of the stress of retail. You can also work almost anywhere as a pharmacist. </p>
<p>Engineering: It is usually older people who get laid off to save on benefits costs, but it happens to younger people as well. A relative told me he couldn't believe the credentials of some of the younger people at work who got canned. IBM has moved thousands of jobs to India and are continuing to do so. Supposedly this global economy is supposed to balance out in the future. </p>
<p>I've read it's a good idea to get a government security clearance to increase your marketability. They take a long time to get, but are worth it in terms of employment with defense contractors and the government. There are also different levels of clearance. Defense contractors will sponsor interns and help with this process.</p>
<p>Defense engineers can be laid off also, clearance or not. Defense money is tight because of the funding of the IRAQ war. It has to come from somewhere.</p>
<p>Well, almost all analysts say that there will be PLENTY of tech and engineering jobs in the foreseeable future, so I don't think you should worry about unemployment if you do decide to become an engineer (how do liberal arts majors do it ;) ). </p>
<p>Now, if you truly like dentistry or medicine then by all means go for it, but its extremely competitive to get into those programs. Because you seem interested in engineering I would recommend majoring in it while completing the pre-med/pre-dental requirements (although it will be harder to get a really good GPA in engineering). That way you always have a lucrative career as an engineer open if you decide to not pursue graduate studies, and the opportunity to go to professional schools (Engineering grad school, law school, dental school, medical school, and business school are all open options)</p>