<p>Alright, so according to the BLS, EE is supposed to grow only around 6 percent over the next decade, slower than average for all occupations (jobs going offshore).</p>
<p>My question is, is EE still a good path to go down for one interested in physics and math? Is there going to be a wide gap in terms of job availability/security between EE and other engineering fields? Is California a better place for a ChemE or an EE?</p>
<p>My biggest concern is coming out of college (UCSD) with a degree and not being able to get a job, yet I'm pretty sure I can get a VERY competitive GPA, even with the difficulty of the fields (if that's a big factor).</p>
<p>Choose your engineering degree based on what you love. There have always been jobs available for good engineering students after graduation, and I think that is not changing anytime soon. And remember that there are a lot of baby-boomer engineers starting to retire.</p>
<p><quote>My biggest concern is coming out of college (UCSD) with a degree and not being able to get a job</quote></p>
<p>This is totally unrealistic! UCSD is one of the top engineering schools, and its located in California. I doubt anybody with a good GPA from UCSD, looking for a job in California, would have a hard time getting one. Job availability is pretty much a non-issue... even though economic times are bad and getting worse, plenty of companies are still recruiting (go to your career fair). Job security can be a concern at times but its definitely not something to worry about if you're young, and just starting out.</p>
<p>There is now some data that suggests baby-boomers are less likely to retire soon (although they may be forced out of their jobs due to downsizing):</p>
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Is California a better place for a ChemE or an EE?
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<p>That's EE in a landslide. Don't get me wrong, ChemE is not bad. But in California, especially because of Silicon Valley, EE is better.</p>
<p>Now, if you were in the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast, then that would be a completely different story. That's ChemE heaven due to the thick proliferation of petrochemical plants. But if you're going to stay in California, then EE is probably the better way to go.</p>
<p>Two things you need to remember - first, those projections were based on data that did not take into account the whole financial mess. After its been cleaned up, our economy is going to be much different. Secondly, in the US, I dont think you will struggle to find a job in any field of engineering in the near future, especially if you graduate from a good school.</p>
<p>And yes, EE is a good combination of math and physics.</p>