<p>“seems to offer both technical and business skills”
- So does every major on the list (if you do actuarial math)</p>
<p>“math-intensive”
- So is every major on the list (if your school has a good accounting program)</p>
<p>“still an engineering degree, which leaves that path open”
- What, being an engineer? You can do that with any degree. It might make getting a job as an InSys Engineer easier, but that might not be what you want. Presumably, if you were interested in becoming some other kind of engineer, the corresponding major would be on the list.</p>
<p>“the whole manufacturing/ergonomics angle is uninteresting”
- It sounds like InSys is a bad choice for you.</p>
<p>“not a very common major”
- This can be a good thing and it can be a bad thing.</p>
<p>“skills valuable in many areas/industries”
- Every major on the list has them.</p>
<p>“lots of discrete math and problem solving”
- If you like discrete math, that’s one valid argument for considering CS. All of the majors involve problem solving. Every college major does. Think about it.</p>
<p>“I’m okay with programming, but doing it all day might be kind of depressing”
- Most (good) jobs won’t have (good) people with a (good) CS degree coding all the time.</p>
<p>“software industry can be a stressful place to work”
- Every industry can be a stressful place to work. The stress in software is exagerated. It has recently been ranked as one of the best careers available by CNN Money magazine.</p>
<p>“many jobs available to those with programming/software skills but other majors?”
- Programming isn’t valuable because anybody can do it. If all you learn in a CS program is how to program then you have wasted time and money. CS majors know a lot more than that and this is why they get software jobs over other majors. EEs, CompEs, even MechEs and CivEs can program. High schoolers can program. There’s more to it than that.</p>
<p>“I know I like proofs and can see myself doing math coursework”
- That’s a compelling reason to do math.</p>
<p>" actuarial field sounds interesting"
- So do the others on the list, in fairness.</p>
<p>“can be paired with IE or CS easily”
- A lot of these majors can be paired up pretty easily. I suppose Math might be the easiest, though.</p>
<p>“only feeds straight into actuary jobs, which represent a very small and concentrated industry”
- You can get lots of jobs with a BS in math. Consult SIAM, AMS, etc. for resources.</p>
<p>“academia is unappealing”
- Why are you going to college?</p>
<p>“I find the structure of businesses’ finances interesting”
- See previous comment on interest in field.</p>
<p>“direct lead-in to careers at Big 4 firms”
- If you do well, and assuming they don’t hire more technical people - IE, CS, Math, etc. - over yourself.</p>
<p>“jobs available in many places and industries”
- Not any more true of Accounting than of the other majors on your list.</p>
<p>“lots of memorization”
- Every college major is.</p>
<p>“not very much math”
- Depending on the program, this could be true or false. You could always supplement your education with additional coursework.</p>
<p>“But what would be the best major to ENTER college as?”
- The one you end up in eventually. Then you wouldn’t have wasted any time.</p>
<p>“What would be easiest to transfer out of but hardest to switch into?”
- Probably Industrial Engineering.</p>
<p>Summary:
You should do what you like and forget the idle speculation about the job market and job placement later on. Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. You’re too young and inexperienced to know what you really want to do with your life. I am too. You have to be a jedi… focus on the here and now. What do you want to study?</p>